Hey, I've Got Nothing to do Today But Smile....
Often, as I am in the subway to catch the F train into the city, I come across one of my favorite buskers. As I walk to the end of the platform (because subway strategy is always key - you want to be close to whatever exit you will need upon arrival), I heard one of my favorite Paul Simon songs drift through the air of the tunnel.
"The Only Living Boy In New York"
I know your part'll go fine
Fly down to Mexico
Oh, I can gather all the news I need on the weather report
Hey, I've got nothing to do today but smile
Do-n-doh-d-doh-n-doh and here I am
And we don't know where
And we don't know where
I know that you've been eager to fly now
Hey, let your honesty shine, shine, shine now
The only living boy in New York
The only living boy in New York
And in my head, I sang along with the guitarist. "Hey, I've nothing to do today, but smile," sounded pretty good to me, and I thought, yeah, why not. If it were a fantasy scene in a movie, I would join in to sing aloud with the subway musician. I wonder what he would think if I did that. Actually, I think my favorite part of the song is the "Do-n-doh-d-doh-n-doh and here I am," which then must be given closure in the lyrics with "The only living boy in New York."
So, what does one bake on a day when the heart sings, "I've got nothing to do today but smile?" Why, Banana Bread with Muscovado and Chocolate of course, because today is the perfect day for banana bread. Enjoy!
Banana Bread with Muscovado and Chocolate
If you do not have muscovado sugar in your larder, you may always substitute light brown sugar, or light brown sugar and some molasses.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- a three-finger pinch of kosher salt
- ½ cup (1 stick, or 125 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon (235 grams) muscovado sugar
- 14 ounces (400 grams) ripe bananas (peeled weight), or about 3 medium bananas
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 3-½ ounces (100 grams) dark chocolate, chopped to the size of fine gravel
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a standard-size loaf pan (approximately 9-½ by 5 inches), and line it with parchment paper.
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In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. Whisk to blend.
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In another bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. They should still be lumpy, not fully pureed. Stir in the vanilla.
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In another bowl, beat the eggs lightly with a fork.
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Using an electric mixer, beat the butter briefly, just to get it going, and then add the sugar. Continue beating until the mixture is light, fluffy, and the color of coffee with milk. Add the beaten eggs, and continue to beat. (If the mixture looks like it's curdling at any point, add a spoonful of the flour mixture.) Add the chocolate and the mashed bananas, and beat to mix. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture. Beat to incorporate.
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Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan, and smooth the top. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out moist but clean. If there is any sign of wet batter, continue baking for a few more minutes, tenting the top with foil if it's browning too much.
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Cool the finished loaf in the pan for 15 minutes. Loosen the sides with a thin knife, then carefully lift out the loaf with the parchment liner. Cool completely before slicing.
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Yield: 1 loaf
