Cuban Banana Bread

Cuban Banana Bread
Source: Maida Heatter's Cakes (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2011 ed.), pg. 257.

We are leaving for the beach in a few weeks so I've been busy in the kitchen baking treats for us to enjoy on the trip. I usually make cookies and breads that travel easy. Banana Bread is always a staple and I have a recipe (non-Maida) that I really like. I thought I would give this one a try for something different. It is chock full of raisins and nuts and includes an unusual ingredient - bran cereal. I was pleased with the outcome and thought it tasted close to the other banana bread I make.

1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 oz. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup bran cereal (not flakes)
3 to 4 medium sized bananas (fully ripe)
2 TBS. water
1/2 cup raisins
4 oz. (generous 1 cup) walnuts, cut or broken into medium-sized pieces 

Adjust rack 1/3 up from the bottom of the oven. Preheat to 350. Butter a loaf pan that has a 7 1/2 cup capacity. Dust it with fine bread crumbs. Set aside.

Sift together the flour, salt,  baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.

Beat the butter until soft.

Add the vanilla extract.

Add the sugar. Beat until mixed.

Add the egg, beating until pale in color.

Add the bran cereal. Beat until just mixed.

In a separate bowl, mash the bananas slightly with a fork (some coarse pieces should remain). Add the water to the bananas. Stir to mix.

Add the bananas to the bran mixture. Beat only to mix. (The mixture will appear curdled - that is okay).

Add the raisins.

Add the nuts. Beat only to mix.

On low speed, add the sifted ingredients. Beat only until incorporated - do not overbeat.

Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Smooth the batter on top.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Turn out onto a cooling rack. Let stand for several hours or overnight or refrigerate at least 1-2 hours before slicing.

Chocolate Chip-Coconut Macaroons

Chocolate Chip-Coconut Macaroons
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2006 ed.), pg. 120.

These are wonderful macaroons and I could not stay out of them. Michael, who always wants to embellish recipes, said he thought they would be good with almonds. He doesn't seem to understand that the whole purpose of my blog is to make the recipes the way Maida Heatter wrote them! Anyway, I agreed that I would try one batch with the almonds. He toasted some for me and I added it. For me, they were not as good. Score one for Maida! These are delicious exactly the way she wrote the recipe!

1/3 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1 TBS. butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs (large)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
10 1/2 oz. (4 loosely packed cups) shredded coconut
6 oz. (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate morsels

Preheat oven to 325. Line cookie sheets with aluminum foil.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

Melt the butter in a small pan over low heat. Set aside to cool but do not let it harden.

 

In a mixer bowl, add the sugar to the eggs and beat at high speed for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is almost white.

Lower the speed and add the sifted dry ingredients. Beat only until incorporated.

Add the liquid butter and fold it in.

Add the vanilla, folding it in.

Add the coconut, fold in.

Add the chocolate chips.

Fold in until mixed.

Use a rounded teaspoon of the mixture and place them 1 1/2 inches apart on the aluminum foil.

Bake two sheets at a time, reversing about half-way to ensure even browning. Bake for about 12-18 minutes until parts of the top of the cookie is lightly golden - some parts of the cookie will still be white.

Transfer to a cooling rack with a spatula. If baking one sheet at a time, use the lower rack.

Glaze

6 oz. semisweet chocolate

Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler.

Cover one or two cookie sheets with aluminum foil or wax paper.

Take a cooled cookie and dip the bottom in the chocolate. You can use a knife or spatula to smooth the chocolate in a thin layer if needed.

Place the cookies chocolate side down on the lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate until firm. Store the macaroons in an air-tight container. They are best stored in the refrigerator and served cold.