BEST BANANA BREAD

This recipe is adapted from Nigella Lawson’s How To Be a Domestic Goddess.

The best bananas for baking are when they’re so ripe they’ve turned black. If freezing them, make sure you remove the skin first. I mash mine slightly before freezing in snaplock bags.

Makes one loaf

100g sultanas

75g brandy

175g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/3 tsp salt

125g butter

150g brown sugar

2 eggs

About 300g very ripe mashed banana (about 3 bananas)

75g walnuts, roughly chopped

1 tsp good quality vanilla extract

75g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

Put the sultanas and brandy in a small saucepan and gently bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and set aside until most of the liquid is soaked up.

Preheat oven to 170C. Grease and line a loaf tin with baking paper. Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and combine well with a whisk.

Next, brown the butter. This adds a slightly caramelised flavour. Take the butter and melt in a small saucepan. Give it a good swirl as it starts to turn golden. Remove from the heat as soon as you see small flecks of brown appear.

Pour butter into a large bowl, and add the sugar. Beat until blended, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the mashed bananas, walnuts, brandy sultanas and the vanilla. Mix together well.

Add the flour mixture one-third at a time, mixing in well with a wooden spoon. Make sure the flour mixture is fully incorporated before adding the next third.

Pour the mixture into your loaf tin and bake in the middle of the oven for just over an hour. Keep an eye on it — it will be ready when it’s golden brown on top and a skewer comes out reasonably clean. Leave in the tin to cool.

Serve warm with icecream or cream for dessert. Serve lightly toasted with yoghurt and fruit and honey/maple syrup for breakfast. Or just enjoy slathered in butter.