Rustic Tuscan Banana Bread with Chocolate, Hazelnuts and Espresso
A delicate blend of flavors and textures come together in this banana bread recipe making it moist, light and fluffy and oh so decadent.
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cup sifted flour unbleached flour
- 2/3 cup sifted almond flour
- 2 large eggs separated
- 3 or 4 ripe bananas 3 large or 4 smaller mashed
- 1 cup roasted chopped fine hazelnuts /remove skin after roasting then chop
- 1 cup chopped dark chocolate
- 1 cup Brown Sugar or coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter or 1 stick equals one cup
- 5 ounces plain or vanilla thick yogurt
- 1 1/2 tsp Instant espresso
- 1 package Lievito per dolce ( you can also use standard baking powder aluminum free if possible 1 teaspoon baking powder)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 8 oz mascarpone cheese
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp almond milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (176C) degrees. Butter a 9” x 5" (23cm x 13cm) loaf pan and dust it with a combo of 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.
- In a medium bowl combine all the dry ingredients together and set aside. Sifted flour, lievito per dolce (or baking powder) and baking soda, grated nutmeg, instant espresso
- In a mixing bowl bring the egg whites to firm white peaks and set aside in fridge.
- in a bowl mash the bananas with a fork or a potato masher. Set aside
- In a large mixing bowl whisk the softened butter and brown sugar together for 3 minutes, add the 2 egg yolks mix another minute, and then add the yogurt.
- Now it is time to add your bananas to the wet ingredients. With a spatula blend gently by hand folding in to incorporate the bananas. In the same manner. Add all the dry ingredients into the bowl half at a time, folding in with the spatula. Be sure not to over mix.
- Lastly add your fluffy egg whites, then the hazelnuts and chopped chocolate. Blending lightly and folding in gently. With this recipe it is important to fold in lightly to keep it airy.
- Pour with the help of a rubber spatula your banana bread mixture into your prepared baking loaf that has been dusted with sugar and cinnamon. Drizzle a small amount of sugar and cinnamon on top of the mixture. Cut up a banana in long this slices to decorate the top. Place in oven on center rack for about 60 to 70 minutes depending on the oven and altitude.
- Once you have tested the center of the bread with a toothpick and the center is done. You can remove from oven. Allow to cool for a little while. Then turn upside down to remove. Place on a bread board or on a long platter. You can now add the optional Mascarpone drizzle glaze.
- Mascarpone Glaze: mix together 1/2 cup soften macarpone cheese, 1 teaspoon vanilla, q tsp powdered sugar, a few tablespoon almond milk or water. wish together until it is a pourable consistency. Drizzle over bread and serve!