Like many health-conscious South Philadelphians, Liann Amorose chooses to include a banana with her breakfast, but she laments that sweltering temperatures cause her beloved fruit to ripen faster. Wary of wasting the ever-nutritious option, the resident of the 1800 block of South 17th Street beats the heat by making Chocolate Banana Bread.
In the note that accompanied her recipe, the Point Breeze denizen emphatically stated “This is our favorite!” Because of her enthusiasm for salvaging the potassium powerhouse when the mercury rises, one might feel inclined to wish for an oppressive day as more than just a reason for putting an air conditioner on full blast. ■
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of butter
1/2 cup of sugar
2 large eggs
1–1/2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
Vanilla
1 tablespoon of chocolate powder
1/2 cup of sour cream
2 cups of mashed ripe bananas
5 ounces of bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and chocolate powder. In a large bowl, mix the butter and the sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time, and incorporate the bananas, sour cream, and vanilla.
Unite the mixtures, and beat until combined. Pour the batter into a greased 9” x 5” x 3” pan, and bake for 50 to 70 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan. If desired, split the bread, and apply cream cheese when the item has completely cooled.
