Banana bread with chocolate peanut butter filling recipe

I AM a self-confessed fan of peanut butter, and when the mood takes me I will go out of my way to rustle up a homemade recipe to use on toast or fresh rustic white bread.

Can’t say no: This banana bread with chocolate peanut butter filling is a new twist on an old favourite. Picture: Andy Rogers

I AM a self-confessed fan of peanut butter, and when the mood takes me I will go out of my way to rustle up a homemade recipe to use on toast or fresh rustic white bread.

It’s also handy to have some on hand to make a simple satay sauce for meat skewers of beef, pork or chicken to grill on the barbecue.

A friend from the United States introduced me to a different use with this simple variation of the traditional banana bread.

BANANA BREAD WITH CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER FILLING

Serves 12

PEANUT BUTTER FILLING

5 tbsp peanut butter (I used dark roast peanut butter)

1 tsp canola oil

3 tbsp cocoa powder

THE LOAF

3 tbsp canola oil

45g butter, softened

100g packed brown sugar

2 medium ripe bananas, sliced

2 large eggs

190g plain flour

¾ tsp baking soda

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

2/3 cup buttermilk

¼ to ½ cup dark chocolate pieces

First prepare the filling. Put the peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl and stir through the oil. Microwave on high until melted, about 30 seconds; stir through the cocoa powder and set aside.

Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan-forced).

For the cake, combine the oil, butter, brown sugar and banana in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. With the mixer running at low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk in thirds, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

Mix until just combined.

Pour half of the batter into a greased 22cm loaf tin. Top with the peanut butter filling, then spread the remaining batter over the top. Using a toothpick or knife, gently swirl the batter so the peanut butter filling and the batter merge slightly.

Sprinkle the top of the batter with dark chocolate pieces. Bake for 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out with moist crumbs clinging.

Cool for 10 minutes in the loaf tin on a wire rack. Remove the banana bread from the pan and then allow to cool completely on the rack.

Serve sliced.

MAKE YOUR OWN PEANUT BUTTER

HEAT the oven to 180C (160C fan-forced) and spread 500g raw peanuts (ideally with the skin on) in one layer on a baking tray. Roast for about 10-20 minutes until evenly browned. Allow to cool completely. Whiz in a food processor to coarse crumbs then, if making crunchy peanut butter, scoop out a quarter and set aside. With the motor running, add 1 tablespoon peanut oil, and then whiz again, stopping to scrape down the sides if necessary, until you have a smooth, creamy texture. Add any preferred additional flavourings and taste, and then stir in the reserved nuts and spoon into a jar. It will keep in the fridge for a couple of months.

BEST HOMEMADE PEANUT BUTTER TIPS

USE a food processor rather than a high-power blender. It may take a few minutes longer to fully blend, but you’ll have to scrape down the sides much less, and the peanut butter won’t heat up as much during processing (a good thing when you’re dealing with heat-sensitive oils — this means your recipe will have a longer shelf life).

STAY at it. There will undoubtedly be a couple of minutes where the recipe will look like it’s not going to work. Within the first few minutes, the nuts will be ground into a finer and finer powder, and eventually create a crumbly ball. It may seem as though your peanut butter may never fully “butter”. But keep the machine running because within just a few more minutes, the dry mixture will release enough oils that a creamy spread will begin to form and swirl.

DON’T add water-based liquids. Since peanuts are rich in natural oils, adding a water-based liquid will cause your nice, smooth peanut butter to “seize” as the oils cluster together apart from the water, making the consistency clumpy and difficult to spread. You can’t undo this mistake if it happens, so be sure to never add water, milks, juice or liquid flavour extracts.

IF YOUR peanut butter is too thick, blend in a little bit of oil.

A HINT of cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom or more savoury spices like turmeric, black pepper or cayenne pepper can really push your peanut butter to a new level. Go easy, you can always add more, but it’s impossible to go back once you’ve added a spice. Sea salt can also help heighten the flavour.