Banana Bread Truffles

Sometimes I buy too many bananas. And sometimes I forget about them and then realize they're all brown and spotty and have to bake up something tasty. My mom told me the other day that I should move beyond the dark chocolate and try some new ideas...I may or may not have a slight dark-chocolate-addiction at the moment. And sometimes I also have very limited self-control

So bite-size truffles seemed like the perfect dessert! I can eat a few and, hopefully, share most of them! And you're gonna love the banana filling--it's pretty much an extremely moist banana bread combined with a brown butter (anyone else going weak at the knees?) glaze and smothered in dark chocolate and topped with toasted walnuts. Seriously delicious.

Banana Bread Truffles [click to print]
Makes about 5 dozen

• 1 c. sugar
• 1/3 c. unsalted butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 3-4 bananas, mashed (about 1 c.)
• 1/3 c. water
• 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1-2/3 c. flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder

For brown butter glaze

• 1/4 c. browned butter
• 1-1/2 c. powdered sugar
• 3 T. milk or water

For dipping

• 2 pkgs. (12 oz) dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 c. walnuts, chopped and toasted

1) Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper or coat generously with nonstick -cooking spray; set aside. 

2) In bowl of stand mixer, cream sugar and butter. Add eggs, one at a time, incorporating well between each addition. Stir in bananas, water and vanilla. 

3) In separate bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, soda, salt and powder. With mixer on low speed, gradually add to banana mixture in about 3 additions. Pour batter in prepared dish and bake 30-40 minutes or until top springs back. Allow to cool completely in pan. 

4) For glaze, heat butter in small saucepan over medium heat until it turns a golden brown color. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Stir butter and milk/water into powdered sugar until well combined and no lumps of powdered sugar remain. 

5) When bread is completely cool, crumble with a fork or your fingers into pea size crumbs. Pour glaze over crumbs and stir until evenly moistened. Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop 2 or 3 teaspoons of truffle filling at a time onto lined cookie sheet. 

6) In deep bowl, melt chocolate at 30 second intervals in the microwave, stirring well between each nuke. Using a fork, dip each filling in melted chocolate, gently tapping fork on edge of bowl to get off excess chocolate. Place on cookie sheet, top with a sprinkle of chopped nuts and allow to set. Note: If your filling doesn't hold together very well while dipping, chill in freezer about 15 minutes before dipping. 

Source: Inspired by Vanilla Kitchen

Coconut Banana Bread (butter and oil free!)

I know, you're rolling your eyes at me right now. As I type C-O-C-O-N-U-T you're quietly calling me a N-U-T under your breath. But I promise you, coconut is completely appropriate for the middle of fall when you mix it into a warm, moist loaf of banana bread!

I've just been in a coconut-craving, impatient sort of mood lately so my vote was for something quick and easy and delicious. And since the black bananas have been piling up in my freezer lately, Coconut Banana Bread was the logical choice. Plus, it doesn't even have any added butter or oil so you can easily rationalize that you're eating an entire fruit basket as you devour this loaf!

Coconut Banana Bread (butter and oil free!) [click to print]
Makes one loaf

• 1/2 c. applesauce
• 1 c. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2-1/2 c. flour
• 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 medium bananas, extremely ripe and mashed (about 1 c.)
• 1 c. coconut milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 c. sweetened shredded coconut

1) Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.

2) Stir together applesauce, sugar and eggs until smooth.

3) In separate bowl, whisk together flour, powder, soda and salt; set aside. In another bowl, whisk together bananas, milk and vanilla. Alternately add flour and banana mixtures to egg mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Stir in coconut.

4) Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 60-75 minutes or until top is golden and springs back lightly when touched. Cool about 10 minutes in pan before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

Source: Adapated from Fat Girl Trapped In a Skinny Body

Croissants

I always thought laminated doughs were hard and tedious and overly difficult for the average human/baker. Turns out that's not exactly true, but they do require a lot of patience.

Last week in my L'Academie pastry class, we finished a batch of absolutely beautiful croissants and I just might be in love.

When you make them right, croissants have a richly-colored crust and a variety of textures; if you take one between your fingers and give it a gently squeeze, you can hear the outer shell crackle and sweet steam escapes and you can't help but peel off a layer and savor every bite.

Dreaming of Brioche

I took an overly long nap this afternoon and dreamed about brioche. Seriously. I wouldn't lie to you about something so delicious.

I woke up with visions of dark-crusted loaves of parisienne brioche steaming as I pulled them from the oven. This bread is so rich, that you can stick a slice in the toaster and hear it sizzle...without buttering it first. It's the perfect dough for sweet rolls or grilled cheese or anything your heart desires.

Thanks for the dreams, L'Academie.

Lemon Poppyseed Yogurt Bread

Every morning when I open my fridge, sitting right beside that head of cauliflower and bag of carrots, is a giant tub of vanilla yogurt just staring me down. Like it has any business looking at me like that. I've eaten most of it with chopped fresh fruit or mixed up in a smoothie, but I need more variety!

So sweet bread it is.

These cute little mini loaves are practically healthy, packed with fresh lemon juice, yogurt and olive oil. And they're so soft and moist with a gentle lemon flavor with the glaze giving them a nice, tangy punch. Mmm!

Serve this bread up for a lovely brunch sometime. And please invite me. 

Lemon Poppyseed Yogurt Bread [click to print]
makes 4 mini loaves OR 1 regular loaf


For the bread

• 1-1/2 c. flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1-1/4 c. vanilla yogurt
• 1 c. sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 T. lemon zest
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. lemon extract
• 1/2 c. olive oil
• 2 T. poppy seeds

For the glaze

• 1/2 c. lemon juice
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 T. honey

Preheat oven to 350 F and coat mini loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray. 

Whisk together flour, powder and salt; set aside. In separate bowl, whisk together yogurt, sugar, eggs, zest and extracts. Whisk in oil and seeds. Pour into loaf pans. Bake 20-25 minutes or until edges are golden and top springs back when touched lightly. Allow to cool. 

For the glaze, combine juice, sugar and honey in small saucepan. Heat on medium low until sugar is dissolved. Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 7-8 minutes or until slightly thickened. Allow to cool slightly then pour over loaves and serve. 

Source: Adapted from Novice Baker

Maple Pumpkin Bread

It was nasty humid the other day and I was baking bread. Ridiculous, I know. I just needed something fragrant and warm and our crazy weather patterns have got my internal cravings all confused. But my arteries were begging for something that wouldn't automatically cut off the blood flow to my entire body.

So, you guessed it. I've got another flavor-packed bread with no added sugar and it's butter-free! This time pumpkin and maple are hanging out together and it's a very tasty thing.

Maple Pumpkin Bread (No sugar added, Dairy Free) [click to print]
Makes one loaf

• 2 c. flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. ginger
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. cloves
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 c. maple syrup
• 1 c. pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 eggs

Preheat oven to 250 F. Line loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a few inches overhang on each side, or generously coat loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. 

Whisk together flour, soda, spices and salt; set aside. In mixing bowl, beat syrup, pumpkin and vanilla until well combined. Add eggs. Stir in dry ingredients and continue mixing until just combined. 

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 60-65 minutes or until done. 

Source: Adapted from Banana Honey Bread