Banana, Roasted Peanut and Coconut Loaf with Dark Chocolate

. May, 2016
Photography by Claire Aldous.
Banana, Roasted Peanut and Coconut Loaf with Dark Chocolate

With a growing stock pile of over-ripe bananas in my freezer and a gluten-free friend coming over, this recipe ticked all the boxes. Dense and moist with little pockets of dark chocolate – a very delicious afternoon tea loaf. 

INGREDIENTS

2 cups mashed, very ripe bananas (about 5 medium)
4 large eggs, size 7
¼ cup melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups roasted, unsalted peanuts, finely ground
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 teaspoon baking soda, sifted
¼ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
100 grams dark chocolate, roughly chopped (62% cocoa)
¼ cup shredded coconut

6 cup capacity loaf tin (mine was 12cm x 22cm and 7cm deep)

METHOD

Grease a 6-cup capacity loaf tin and line fully with baking paper.

Preheat the oven to 150°C fan bake.

Combine the bananas, eggs, butter and vanilla in a bowl.

Put the ground peanuts, coconut, brown sugar, chia seeds, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in another large bowl and combine well, making sure there are no lumps.

Add the banana mixture and fold everything together then stir in the chocolate. 

Pour into the tin and scatter over the shredded coconut.

Bake for 30 minutes then loosely cover the top with foil to prevent it over-browning and bake for a further 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin. 

To serve: Cut into thick slices and serve dusted with icing sugar. 

This loaf is best made 1 day ahead of serving and will keep in an airtight container for 4 days.