AFTER SCHOOL BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP CHUNKERS

I always buy a bundle of bananas at the market, only 1 of 4 of us actually snacks on a banana, which leaves lots of moments of overripe bananas that are too ripe for snacking but perfect for baking. 4 of 4 like the baked goods with the bananas. You’re welcome for my elementary math equation proving it is in fact, worth buying the bananas.

These are my favorite sorts of treats to make for and with the kids. Everything mashes up in one bowl, they’re easy on the sugar, packs in a lunchbox and they are free of the glutens and dairy so any person that comes over with a dietary preference, has a snack. I know when we’ve made them a dozen times, they are worth sharing here, so hope you have bananas ready to go soon (extra extra brown! don’t bother if they are pretty and yellow!). xo

AFTER SCHOOL BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP CHUNKERS

Makes 12

Gluten free, dairy free and honestly, you can skip the egg if you need to and I believe they’ll still hold. I’ve been making these when I have dead bananas, but banana bread feels like too much. A tray of these will be gone before the end of the day and they hold up in a lunch box too.

Nut allergy folks, all-purpose flour is fine. Replace the almond and coconut flours with 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour. They will look different than what is pictured. The flax does help absorb some extra moisture, and you can pick that up and nearly any supermarket these days.

Recipe riffed from Joy the Baker

2 overripe, medium bananas (about 1 cup)
1 egg
4 Tbsp. coconut oil or warmed butter
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
big pinch of salt

1 cup almond flour
1/4 cup old fashioned oats
2 Tbsp. flax meal
3 Tbsp. coconut flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder

2/3 cup dark chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)

Into a mixing bowl, smash up the bananas super well, we don’t want big chunks left. Add in the egg, oil or butter, sugar, vanilla , cinnamon, salt and whisk everything together to mix. Add the almond flour, oats, flax, coconut flour, baking powder and stir again to combine. Fold in the chocolate chips. Chill the mixture for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 360’ and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. I make ours free-formed, not perfect balls 1) because they are tough to get into a ball and 2) I like those craggle edges! We want about 2-3 Tbsp. sized lumps, arranged with 2” of space between (they don’t spread much). Bake on the middle rack for 12-15 minutes until toasty on the edges, but still tender in the center. Remove to cool.

Keep the cookies in a covered container at room temperature for up for 3 days, and in the fridge any longer than that.

Sara Forte 2022-02-22

After School Banana Chocolate Chip Chunkers

15

These are my favorite sorts of treats to make for and with the kids. Everything mashes up in one bowl, they’re easy on the sugar, packs in a lunchbox and they are free of the glutens and dairy so any person that comes over with a dietary preference, has a snack.

• 2 medium bananas
• 1 egg
• 4 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup old fashioned oats
• 2 Tbsp. flax meal
• 3 Tbsp. coconut flour

125 calories9 grams fat1 grams satFat0 grams transFat10 grams carbohydrate5 grams sugar2 grams fiber8 grams netCarbs3 grams protein

2/3 cup dark chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)

Into a mixing bowl, smash up the bananas super well, we don’t want big chunks left. Add in the egg, oil or butter, sugar, vanilla , cinnamon, salt and whisk everything together to mix. Add the almond flour, oats, flax, coconut flour, baking powder and stir again to combine. Fold in the chocolate chips. Chill the mixture for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 360’ and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. I make ours free-formed, not perfect balls 1) because they are tough to get into a ball and 2) I like those craggle edges! We want about 2-3 Tbsp. sized lumps, arranged with 2” of space between (they don’t spread much). Bake on the middle rack for 12-15 minutes until toasty on the edges, but still tender in the center. Remove to cool.

Keep the cookies in a covered container at room temperature for up for 3 days, and in the fridge any longer than that.

PT15M

PT15M

PT1H

American

Snack

snack, chocolate, gluten free, dairy free, kid friendly, lunchbox

GLUTEN FREE CRANBERRY TEA CAKE

Fa la la la la! It’s baking season and this cake was a hit. Of course we all love cookies, and I have plenty of those on the list. My people love a breakfast sweet, and this has stood in for a simple dinner dessert on occasion as well. I know you all love to have a spread planned for holiday mornings, so hope this works for those of you gluten free folks. We always have sweet rolls, but I may double up this year since everyone liked this cake so much. I’ll say it again, like we do with the lemon loaf or banana bread, toasted for a few minutes for a bit of a crisp edge is lovely.

I have made many dense gf baked goods, but I’m starting to figure out the ratios. Eggs are important for strength, going all almond flour turns out pretty dense, so I cut it with superfine brown rice flour like I learned from Aran of Canelle et Vanille. Hugh is the gluten free one in the family, but I have found the kids don’t question a thing when it looks like cookies and cake and sugar. I added some swap suggestions in the headnote.

GLUTEN FREE CRANBERRY TEA CAKE

Serves 6-8

This could be part of a breakfast spread or a dessert. It is sweet and seasonal but we nibbled at it most in the afternoon with a second (er, third) cup of coffee or tea. It has a good amount of moisture, so it sits well at room temperature for a day or two, then should be kept covered in the fridge. Great served with a dollop of plain yogurt in the morning or sweetened creme fraiche for dessert.

Dairy-free option is to replace the buttermilk with non-dairy milk with a squeeze of lemon juice - oat or almond both great, coconut is a bit heavy. You don’t need it gluten free, replace the almond and rice flours with 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour.

Not cranberry season? try lemon blueberry or almond raspberry (replace the vanilla with almond extract).

Ingredients

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter (vegan butter works great!), room temperature
3/4 cup cane sugar
2 Tbsp. avocado or coconut oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk (or non-dairy milk with a squeeze of lemon juice)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
zest of one orange
1 cup almond flour
1 cup superfine brown rice flour (I buy this one)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 cups (8 oz.) fresh or frozen cranberries, roughly chopped

turbinado sugar, for finishing

sweetened yogurt, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350’ and parchment line and butter a 8-9” cake pan.

In a stand mixer or with an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy. At least 3 minutes. Add the oil, eggs, buttermilk, maple, vanilla, orange zest and beat again to incorporate. Add the almond and rice flours, baking powder, salt and fold it a few times. Add half the cranberries and fold again. Transfer it to your prepared pan, sprinkle the remaining cranberries over top, swipe it down to an even layer, and sprinkle the top generously with turbinado sugar.

Bake on the middle rack for about 50 minutes, until tested in the center and only a few crumbs (no batter!) come out with it. If the top starts to get to brown, cover it with a piece of parchment or foil. Let the cake cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Serve with yogurt or sweetened creme fraiche.

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT TOFFEE

It has been a busy cookbook season! I spent last night reading through the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen Cookbook and am revisiting everything I have bookmarked in Aran’s Cannelle et Vanille Bakes Simple while it is rainy this week and we can work on some baking projects. If you eat gluten free, by need or choice, Aran is your gal. You may know her from her gf sourdough tutorials on instagram.

Aran is one of my favorite food people. Most importantly, she is a lovely and generous person. Just as humble and charming as her photos lead you to believe. Her photos are romantic, the recipes are clear and uncomplicated and she offers subs for all sorts of dietary issues. She is the gluten free baking master, and always where I go for reference. The book does call for some specialty flours, but if you cook gluten free and make a few things from her book, they won’t go to waste. My favorites have been the Lemon Curd, Lemon Pound Cake, Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies and this toffee! I love how short the list of ingredients is, you may even have everything to make a batch today.

Congrats, Aran!

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT TOFFEE

Makes one 9x13 pan

This makes an excellent gift around the holidays. We kept it in the fridge for when you just need a sweet nibble after a meal. If you are nut free, you can sub in some candied pepitas or some crushed candy canes and cocoa nibs on top.

Ingredients: 

¾ cup (100 g ) raw hazelnuts

1 cup unsalted butter (or dairy free butter) cut into cubes

¾ cup sugar

½ cup light brown sugar

¼ cup water, room temperature

½ tsp. Kosher salt

2 tsp. Vanilla extract

¼ tsp baking soda

4 ounces 70% chocolate, finely chopped

Instructions: 

Preheat the oven to 325’ and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 

On a second sheet, spread the hazelnuts and roast for 15-20 minutes, until fragrant and golden brown. When they are cool enough to handle, transfer them to a large kitchen towel and rub together to loosen their skins. Once they’re mostly peeled (a bit of skin is ok), transfer them to a food processor and pulse a few times to roughly chop. Set aside. 

In a medium saucepan, stir together the butter, both sugar, water and salt. Cook over medium-high heat, undisturbed, until it registers at 300’, about 15 minutes. The mixture will be dark brown and smell caramelized. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the vanilla, it will splatter. Stir in the baking soda until it is distributed - do not overmix. You want to preserve some of that gas. 

Pour the toffee onto the prepared baking sheet and spread it evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle the top with the chopped chocolate. The heat of the toffee will melt it. Spread it evenly with a spatula. Distribute the chopped hazelnuts across the top and press down so they stick into the chocolate. 

Let the toffee cool completely for a few hours, or speed up this process in the fridge. Break the toffee into pieces and store in an airtight container for up to a month.

©2021 by Aran Goyoaga. Excerpted from Cannelle et Vanille Bakes Simple by permission of Sasquatch Books.