One of the best companions to a good hot cup of coffee is a slice of sweet bread. And one of the best recipes come tried and true from old standards that have been adapted through time. And how I have adapted this recipe was with the addition of fresh locally grown figs my wife brought home one day! Voila! New recipe. The basic banana bread recipe comes from one of my Aussie cook books – my wife has the whole series. Add a comment if you can remember. This simple banana bread (with a twist) is the perfect concoction for nearly black bananas where the fruit flies fear to tread.
In a mixer bowl add:
3 or 4 ripe bananas
1/2 cup melted butter
Cream the two ingredients with your mixer on low.
1 cup brown, white or raw sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
2 eggs, gradually added to running blender
2 – ripe figs. Cut them in halves and squeeze in the fruit.
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
2 cups of white flour
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Power mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, eggs, figs and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking sodas and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4×8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out dry. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.
The figs give a tangy sweetness to the bread that leaves ordinary banana bread in the dust!