Chocolate Hazelnut Banana Bread

Happy Friday! I'm running late today since its been so busy in the office. It's been a hectic Friday! But thankfully the weekend is just about to start for me and to end the week on a sweet note, here's a recipe for Chocolate Hazelnut Banana Bread. Sweetened banana bread is studded with chopped toasted hazelnuts and bittersweet chocolate along with swirls of Nutella. Slices of this decadent quick bread is wonderful as is or delicious lightly toasted...

I had quite a few overripe bananas waiting to be used so my first instinct was to make a banana bread. But I felt the need to do more than that. With other great ingredients eagerly waiting to be used, I added them in to make a typical banana bread go from blah to bravo! I really liked how this turned out as a gluten free bread and it was especially good toasted. I used leftovers for french toast that Joel really enjoyed. This freezes well too!

Chocolate Hazelnut Banana Bread
recipe adapted from Cooking Light

• 5 tablespoons chocolate-hazelnut spread (such as Nutella)
• 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon canola oil, divided 
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened 
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 medium ripe bananas, sliced 
• 2 large eggs 
• 6.75 ounces all-purpose flour (or gluten free flour blend* + 1/2 teaspoon xathan gum)
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 2/3 cup whole buttermilk
• Baking spray with flour (such as Baker's Joy)
• 1/4 cup hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
• 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine chocolate-hazelnut spread and 1 teaspoon oil in a microwave-safe dish; microwave at HIGH for 30 seconds or until melted. Stir. Combine 3 tablespoons oil, butter, brown sugar, and banana in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium-high speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Beating at low speed, add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to banana mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat just until combined. Scrape half of batter into a 9 x 5-inch metal loaf pan coated with baking spray, and top with chocolate-hazelnut spread mixture. Spread remaining batter over chocolate mixture. Using a wooden pick, swirl batter. Sprinkle batter with hazelnuts.

Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick comes out with moist crumbs clinging. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove bread; cool on wire rack.

Place bittersweet chocolate in a microwave-safe dish; microwave at high for 30 seconds. Drizzle bread with chocolate; let stand until set.
*Gluten free flour blend:
This is the best combination for my personal uses and has never failed me. I purchased a majority of the ingredients at an Asian market (at less than $.99/lb) and the other ingredients marked were Bob Red Mill brand. Cornstarch was Argo brand.

300 grams superfine brown rice flour (Bob's Red Mill)
250 grams sweet rice flour (Asian market)
150 grams tapioca flour (Asian market)
100 grams sorghum flour (Bob's Red Mill)
100 grams potato starch (Asian market)
100 grams cornstarch (Argo brand)

Whisk together the above flours and store in an air tight container. To use, measure out 140 grams for every cup called for in your favorite baking recipe (NOT yeast bread recipes.) Add 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum for every cup used in the recipe as well to help with texture and binding. Voila! You can bake gluten free with confidence!