Sunday, February 26, 2017

Double Chocolate Banana Bread - Gluten Free!


The original version of the recipe, from smitten kitchen, is one of those recipes that instantly becomes a classic.  You take one bite, then just want more and more.  It is a perfect combination of chocolate (in two forms) with the moist banana that makes you addicted.  And before you know it, you end up buying 3 extra bananas each week, let them brown, and make it again, week after week.  I think I made this 4 times the first month I discovered this recipe.

Occasionally one will stumble upon a chocolatey recipe that is so perfect, that even the addition of peanut butter does not improve it (for example slutty brownies).  Well, this is one of those recipes (pictured below with pb).  I predict it will soon become your new standard for pot lucks, book clubs, or anything other event.





While the original recipe is perfect and you should definitely make it, one night I was lacking inspiration of what to bake and I decided to try to adapt a few of my favorite recipes to be gluten free.  I usually prefer to make recipes the way they are meant to be instead of trying to force a label onto them by eliminating ingredients (for ex: macaron's are always amazing and GF by choice!).  However I have made some delicious recipes with almond flour and thought that the almondy flavor could complement this chocolate banana bread recipe.

I've been trying to read up on how to adapt for different flours and here is what I came up with.  I swapped out the regular flour for almond flour 1:1, then decreased the fat (less butter) and increased the binding agents (added an egg).  This recipe variation makes the loaf a little richer and more decadent, which just means it is is still delicious and amazing.  And for those of us who like gluten? well they all thought it was delicious as well.



Double Chocolate Banana Bread - gluten free!
Adapted to be gluten free from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:
2-3 very ripe bananas (better with 3)
1/4 cup (56 grams) butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup chocolate chips

Make the bread:
Preheat the oven to 350 f (175c), line a loaf pan with parchment paper
  1. Melt the butter in a microwave proof bowl (use 30 second increments stirring in between to not have it explode in your microwave)
  2. Mash the bananas into the butter with a fork. Whisk in brown sugar, egg and vanilla.
  3. Stir in baking soda, salt and cinnamon, and then cocoa powder and almond flour.  (Note: sift your cocoa powder if it is lumpy!).  Stir until combined, then add in chocolate chips.
  4. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 60-75 minutes, until a toothpick or tester in the center comes out batter free (these are easy to undercook!) 
  5. Cool on a wire rack, then run a knife around the edge and invert out of the pan.

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