4 minute read
Holiday Baking: The Ultimate Comfort Food
by Shellisa Multrie
The holiday season is the perfect time to enjoy delicious comfort foods. One of my “go to” recipes for fall is Banana Chocolate Chip bread. It is delicious, easy to make and a family favorite.
Ingredients:
2 ripe, medium bananas (peeled)
½ cup salted butter (softened)
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour (set aside an additional
3 tablespoons of flour)
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons milk of your choice
¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Patience is key.
Before you just start blending all these ingredients together, it’s important to know the magic is in the order of things. When baking, the order of ingredients matter. When I first started baking, I added ingredients as they were in reach, would bake exactly to the time listed on the recipe and often wind up very disappointed at the outcome. With experience (and a few conversations with my grandmother), I learned that cooking is chemistry. My grandma was a cook decades ago at a restaurant back in Milwaukee, WI. She later went on to own several businesses while raising seven children. She is a force to be reckoned with and her cooking does not disappoint! As I write this, she is 95 (just like the JLC) and still amazing! I could go on, but you are probably waiting to find out the big secret so let’s begin. Prior to firing up the mixer, bring the eggs and butter to room temperature. This will allow the butter to mix easily and be extra creamy. I do not have a reason for the eggs other than, my other grandma said so. Use a low setting for the mixer for the entire process. Depending on the brand, it is likely somewhere between folding, kneading or stirring at a two or three speed. Add the butter first and allow it to completely break down and become light and creamy. It should almost look like a delicious frosting. Next, incorporate the sugar half a cup at a time. Allow it to mix fully into the butter before adding more. When the sugar and butter are well-blended, it is time to add the eggs, one at a time. The goal, again, is to let each ingredient completely mix in before adding more. Patience is key as you wait in between ingredients, but it is so worth the wait. Now it’s time to add the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. You can add these one at a time or combine them in a separate bowl before mixing it into the batter. The key here is to add the dry ingredients in a little at a time to allow them to blend into the wet ingredients. Put that patience hat back on because it can be so tempting to dump everything in at once! Once all of the dry ingredients are completely mixed in, you are ready to add the bananas. Depending on how ripe they are, the bananas should mix right in after about a minute. The more ripe the bananas, the sweeter the bread will be. Next, add in the vanilla extract and milk. I have tried the recipe with 2% and almond milk before and they were both delicious. You will need to blend for about one minute to ensure they are fully mixed into your batter. Pour the batter into a greased pan of your choice. Baker’s note: I save the butter wrapper and rub that on the inside of the pan. It works like a charm!
I add the chocolate chips last. Now wait before you just dump them in there. If you just drop them in the batter, they will sink right to the bottom. Most people like a taste of chocolate throughout their slice, so here is how to make that happen. Use the flour you set aside and pour it into a bowl with your chocolate chips. Cover the bowl and shake it around until the chips are covered in flour. Coating the chips in flour helps to keep them from sinking. I use a spatula to fold in the chocolate chips. This allows me to evenly distribute them in the pan. I push some to the bottom and slowly stir them around in the pan. Bake the banana bread at 350 degrees for about 55 minutes. This may vary according to your oven. Before removing, you should be able to stick a toothpick or clean knife in the bread and it should come out clean. Once done, allow the bread to cool for about 10 minutes before removing it from the pan. This bread is delicious when served warm with a tiny bit of butter or you can absolutely enjoy it at room temperature.
Pictured above is Shellisa Multrie with her grandmother, Ardella Taylor
