Maple Hojicha Banana Bread
+ a James Beard Weekend recap and what I'm cooking this week!
Hello hello!
I’m back from Chicago and while I didn’t bring home another medal, I’m feeling so proud that Chinese Enough was even nominated at all. Can’t win them all but plenty of people don’t ever win them at all, as my brother texted me! Honestly, my hands were going numb and I felt like I was going to puke as I was waiting for my category so I immediately felt better as soon as the anticipation was over. Then it just turned into an evening meeting some of my culinary heroes and catching up with friends, some I finally got to meet IRL for the very first time! Walking away from the weekend I’m feeling beyond grateful to have had another opportunity to experience the awards in person and maybe I’ll be lucky enough to return for another book!
Some notable bites/sips while in Chicago:
Daebak for KBBQ, so fun and exactly what I wanted to eat on our first real night in the city.
Avec for the bialy platter and hummus with fresh pita.
Shake Shack for late night post awards burgers and fries with Helen Goh
A Bagel Dog at the Logan Square Farmers Market while catching up with old friends.
Best Intentions for a boozy minty milkshake, I only took a sip but I could tell it would lead me to a good/bad place.
Goose Island for a crispy beer to calm the nerves.
Now about this banana bread! I’m in a phase of my life where I can’t get enough of bananas, hence the Banana Milk Bread from last month. I’m sure in some time I’ll be sick of them and won’t even be able to look at a banana, but until then I’m in love with this Maple Hojicha Banana Bread. The recipe is based on one of the original recipes on Eat Cho Food, back in 2017. I’m not going to link it because the photos are just so bad and the technique could use some work, but it was still a delicious banana bread recipe I went back to time and time again. I wouldn’t say I’m embarrassed of the recipe, but I just feel like I’ve grown so much as a baker and recipe developer since then.
This new iteration of the banana bread is special but incredibly easy to whip up, essentially a dump and mix situation. It is loaded with bananas, sweetened with maple syrup, topped with sugar to create a crunchy coating, and incorporates hojicha powder for a roasty and malty tea flavor. If you’re going to have banana bread for breakfast you might as well enjoy a slice that pairs exceptionally well with your morning tea or coffee. For some reason everyone always love my loaf cake recipes and I think this might just be my best one yet!
What I’m Cooking This Week
After a few weeks of travel, it feels so good to be back in my routine and shop at Berkeley bowl again. Here is what’s on the schedule this week!
Tofu and Broccolini Pad Thai / I made this for dinner last night and wow it was so good! I think I’m going to fold it into the dinner meal rotation and will work on sharing the recipe with you!
Grilled Five Spice Chicken Wings / It’s been so breezy lately, but I’m hoping the winds calm down tonight so I can cook this on our little table top grill.
Welcome Home Steak with Trumpet Mushrooms / the steak recipe is in Chinese Enough and again, hoping it’s not too windy to cook it on the grill.
Emotional Support Tuna Salad / Going to whip this up as soon as I hit send.
Melon Matchas / I made these last week and I have found my newest addiction. The most refreshing and delightful matcha drink!
Wedding Cake Tests / I’m making a wedding cake for my friends this Fall and they are coming over for a cake tasting this weekend. I have 3 cakes, 3 buttercreams, and 3 jams/curds in the works! Would anyone be interested in a How to Plan for and Make a Wedding Cake Guide?
Maple Hojicha Banana Bread
Makes 1 loaf
250g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
12g (2 tbsp) hojicha powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp coarse salt
300g (about 3) very ripe bananas
120g (1/2 cup) maple syrup
113g (1 stick/8tbsp) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
80g (1/3 cup) plain greek yogurt
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 ripe banana, for topping
38g (3 tbsp) coarse cane sugar, for topping
Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and line a 4 1/2 x 8-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk to combine flour, hojicha powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large bowl, mash the bananas until mostly smooth with a few chunks. Whisk in maple syrup, cooled melted butter, yogurt, eggs, and vanilla. Add half of the dry ingredients and mix until a few bits of flour remain. Add the remaining half of the dry ingredients and mix until just combine with no dry bits remaining.
Scrape the batter into the lined loaf pan and spread with an offset spatula into an even and leveled layer. For the topping, split a banana in half lengthwise and place on top of the batter, gently pressing in. Sprinkle cane sugar over the surface of the batter.
Bake in the oven until the banana bread is tall and set in the center, 65 to 70 minutes. Test by sticking a paring knife or tooth pick in the center, if it comes out clean or with a very few crumbs attached it is done baking. Set the loaf pan on a wire rack and allow the banana bread to cool in the loaf pan for 15 minutes. Lift the banana bread out of the pan with the help of the parchment paper and allow it to completely cool on a wire rack.
Once cooled, slice and serve! The due to the banana topping, the banana bread is good at room temperature for about 1 day, afterwards, store in the fridge covered for up to 4 days.
Would love a wedding cake guide!
You're incredible! Such a star from start to finish. I'm glad you had a fun time in Chicago and that we represented well. (It's always a good sign when it feels good to come home too!) This banana bread looks divine. And I wonder if I'm allowed to add choco chips. Because, per usual, I am a child. We just accidentally ordered about 20 bananas from costco. So this seems like a great use case!