I made the recipe once before, but time to try it again.
Ingredients:
75 grams (3/4 cup) walnuts, coarsely chopped
175 grams (1 and 1/4 cup) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3 large eggs
75 grams (6 TBSP) sugar
3 large or 4 medium super-ripe bananas (really ripe-- I mean it! Black and spotty on the outside and soft and sweet on the inside)
90 grams (6 TBSP) creme fraiche
1 TBSP vanilla extract
Method:
1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, or butter an line the bottom and sides with parchment paper
2. Put the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Set aside to cool.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
4. Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium speed for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Or whip by hand with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 8 minutes.
5. With the mixer on low speed, slowly drizzle in the vegetable oil. Be sure not to pour the oil in all at once; add it slowly so it has time to incorporate into the eggs and doesn't deflate the air you've just beaten into the batter.
6. In a medium microwave safe bowl, mash all but one of the bananas thoroughly with a fork and microwave on high power for about 60 seconds, or until they are hot. (If you don't have a microwave, cook the bananas in small saucepan on medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes, or until they break down and get soft and mushy.) Using a small whisk, whisk in the creme fraiche and vanilla until thoroughly combined into a puree. Mash up the remaining banana and stir into the banana mixture. Add the banana mixture to the egg mixture and stir on low speed until just combined. Fold in the dry ingredients and nuts by hand with a rubber spatula until thoroughly combined, so there are no dry flour streaks in the batter.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the top of the banana bread is pale golden brown and springs back when you poke it in the center. If you finger sinks when you poke th bread, it needs to bake a little longer. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 30 minutes, then pop the bread out of the pan and slice.
8. Banana bread can be stored, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to 2 days. To store in freezer, tightly wrap in plastic wrap for up to 2 weeks.; thaw overnight at room temperature.
My notes:
1. I used one extra large egg and two large eggs, because that’s what I had. I used three large bananas. I used sour cream instead of creme fraiche. And a used a smidge of whole wheat flour in place of some APP flour. I followed the procedure directions exactly— hand mixer, lots of time to incorporate air, buttered and floured the pan, etc.
2. Was done by 50 minutes in my oven, I wonder if I could've pulled it out sooner?
3. Deflates a bit after cooling.
4. Verdict-- it's slightly healthier than my go-to recipe in terms of fat and sugar (though my other recipe is 100% whole wheat). A good option, though it's a fiddlier recipe. Tastes pretty good on day 2 as well!
