The Star Ingredients Of This Innovative Recipe

Anjou quinoa joins the banana bread. A discreet revolution that transforms this Anglo-Saxon classic into a nutritious version without sacrificing indulgence. The secret? 120 grams of Le Trio quinoa which replace part of the traditional ingredients, providing vegetable protein and subtle texture.

The two very ripe bananas remain the backbone of this recipe. Their degree of maturity guarantees the characteristic moistness and natural sweetness that is the DNA of banana bread. But the innovation doesn’t stop there: 100 grams of crushed pecans and 50 milliliters of maple syrup create a taste signature that flirts with North American flavors.

This unique combination reconciles baking tradition with current food trends. Quinoa, an ancient cereal from the Andes grown in Anjou, naturally integrates into a cake that transcends eras. The almond powder, discreetly dosed at two tablespoons, completes the balance between lightness and nutritional richness.

The result? A banana bread that retains its gourmet identity while assuming a health dimension. A recipe that proves that culinary innovation does not rhyme with compromise on pleasure.

Quinoa Preparation: A Fundamental Step

The success of this revisited banana bread relies on precise cooking of the quinoa. Twice its volume of water in a saucepan, brought to a boil before immediately reducing the heat. This technique preserves the integrity of the grains and avoids overcooking which would turn the texture into mush.

Fifteen minutes flat. Not one more. The Anjou quinoa gradually absorbs the liquid, swells without bursting, and reaches that perfect consistency between firmness and tenderness. A quick drain if necessary, then into a reservation bowl. This step seems trivial, but it conditions the entire recipe.

Meanwhile, the oven preheats to 180 degrees. The cake tin, generously buttered, awaits its batter. This simultaneous double action optimizes preparation time and ensures that the quinoa cools slightly before its incorporation. A grain that is too hot would destabilize the balance of the batter and compromise the rise.

This technical rigor is not intimidating. It simply transforms an ancestral cereal into a modern pastry ingredient, ready to merge with the mashed bananas and dry ingredients. The quinoa, now cooked to perfection, becomes the structural element that will make all the difference in the final texture of the banana bread.

The Batter Bases And Assembly

The cooled quinoa now joins the ingredients that will form the backbone of the banana bread. One hundred grams of flour are combined with two tablespoons of almond powder, creating a hybrid base between baking tradition and nutritional modernity. This combination is not accidental: the almond powder brings moistness and compensates for the denser texture of the quinoa.

A sachet of baking powder guarantees the rise. The very ripe bananas, mashed with a fork, release their natural sugar and creaminess. One hundred and fifty milliliters of milk bind the whole, creating a supple batter that will welcome the crushed pecans and maple syrup. The balance is played out here: too liquid, the banana bread collapses; too compact, it becomes dry.

The assembly is carried out in stages. The dry ingredients first, mixed dry to evenly distribute the yeast. The wet elements next, incorporated gradually without ever beating the batter violently. The cooked quinoa is integrated last, delicately, to preserve its integrity. Each grain must remain distinct, creating those small crunchy pearls that will surprise during tasting.

The buttered tin receives this generous preparation. Pecans can garnish the top, and maple syrup can lightly glaze the surface. Forty minutes of cooking at one hundred and eighty degrees will transform this heterogeneous batter into a golden, fragrant banana bread, balanced between indulgence and nutritional benefits.

Cooking And Finalization: 40 Minutes For 8 People

The oven preheated to one hundred and eighty degrees receives the tin. Exactly forty minutes are enough to transform this generous batter into a golden, fragrant, balanced banana bread. Cooking at a moderate temperature allows the center to set without drying out the edges, and the quinoa to maintain its slightly crunchy texture under the moist crumb.

The check is done with a knife: the blade comes out clean when the cake is cooked through. A golden crust forms on the surface, the pecans caramelize delicately under the effect of the maple syrup. The smell of roasted banana fills the kitchen, mixed with the woody notes of the nuts and the sweetness of the syrup.

This banana bread generously serves eight people. Sixty-five minutes flat separate the start of preparation from the exit from the oven: twenty-five to assemble, forty to cook. This speed of execution makes it an ideal recipe for an improvised snack or a Sunday brunch. Quinoa brings an assumed nutritional dimension, transforming a traditional treat into a more balanced alternative.

Unmolding takes place after ten minutes of rest. Each slice reveals the small quinoa pearls embedded in the dark crumb, the crunchy pecan pieces, and the melting texture inherited from the bananas. This revisited version reconciles pleasure and benefits, tradition and contemporary culinary innovation.