Saying 'thank you' with coconut-chocolate banana bread

We have the best neighbors -- when our area was buried under a foot a snow on Sunday, the man across the street hauled out his snow-blower and cleared everyone's driveways, walkways and sidewalks.

I decided to say "thank you" with baked goods. I took inventory of my pantry, paged through my cookbooks, and came up with this sweet, coconut- and chocolate-flecked banana bread. This recipe can be doubled easily; if you make two loaves, use three whole eggs rather than two eggs and two yolks.

COCONUT-CHOCOLATE BANANA BREAD
Yield: 1 loaf

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut oil, vegetable oil or melted and cooled unsalted butter
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 medium)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1/3 cup finely chopped dark chocolate or mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.

If using coconut oil, melt in the microwave on low power, checking every 10 seconds. The oil should liquefy, but do not let it get hot.

In a medium bowl, stir together banana, oil and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients; stir just until combined. Fold in flaked coconut and chocolate. Scrape into the prepared pan.

Bake until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Let loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Coconut-banana muffins are dairy-free

These muffins are loaded with ripe, sweet bananas and a triple dose of coconut -- coconut oil, coconut milk, and sweetened flaked coconut. What they don't have is even a trace of dairy.

Coconut oil is trendy right now, touted for its health benefits and sold in most supermarkets. You'll see two types, extra-virgin and refined. I used extra-virgin, which has a slight coconut flavor and a lovely coconut fragrance. Coconut oil is solid at room temperature. I found that melting it in the microwave gives the muffins a better texture. Follow the instructions and watch carefully so the oil doesn't heat up. If you don't have coconut oil, you can substitute vegetable oil or melted butter, but the flavor and texture might be a bit different.

You also could substitute cow's milk for the coconut milk, but again, you'll lose a bit of coconut flavor. Regular and reduced-fat coconut milk is sold in cans in ethnic markets and many supermarkets, usually the section for Thai foods. You can refrigerate the leftover coconut milk -- you'll have about a cup left -- and use it in curries or even puddings.


COCONUT BANANA MUFFINS
Yield: About 12 muffins

1/2 cup coconut oil
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons light coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (9 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup lightly packed sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup chocolate chips, optional 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 12 muffin cups or use paper liners.

Place coconut oil in a glass bowl. Microwave on medium-low power (30 percent or defrost setting) for about 4 minutes or until oil liquefies and warms slightly. If oil is hot, set it aside until it cools.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together bananas, eggs, coconut milk and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.

Using a wooden spoon, stir granulated and brown sugar into oil. Whisk in banana mixture. Add flour mixture and whisk just until combined. Don't overmix or the muffins will be tough. Gently stir in flaked coconut and chocolate chips

Scoop a scant 1/2 cup of batter into each muffin cup. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out with just a few clinging crumbs, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for about 5 minutes in the pan, then remove muffins to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Copyright 2013 by Judith Evans. All rights reserved.