Banana Chocolate Chip Bread*

There are 2 kinds of magic in baking. The first is how ordinary - some inedible on their own - ingredients are turned into delicious and decadent desserts, and the second is how these desserts brighten up people's days, make occasions more special, and oh, make people really hyper.


That's basically the gist of the essay I wrote on my pastry school "entrance exam" about 6/7 months ago. CHEESY, I KNOW. Haha. But it's true, isn't it? Would a plate of yeast and butter ever make you as happy as a plate of croissants or danish? Or would a box of flour make your birthday more special than a box of chocolate cake?

Fascinating isn't it? Like how you have to coat chocolate chips with flour to prevent it from sinking to the bottom.

[The coating of flour gives the chips some friction that allows it to "hold on to" its place in the batter.]

How the same egg can act as a tenderizer, leavener, and/or emulsifier depending on the part/s you use.

[Whipped eggwhites are used to leaven some cakes, eggyolks are used as emulsifiers in mayonnaise, and whole eggs normally act as tenderizers in cakes, cookies...]

How swapping your cup of white sugar with brown sugar will give you more nutrients, but more calories.

[Brown sugar has more calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, and sodium, but also has a slightly higher calorie content than white sugar. ]

Or how a difference of 1 minute in mixing your batter can spell the difference between "light and fluffy" and "rock solid".

[The longer you mix, the more gluten development you get, thus, the tougher the product. So be careful with cakes, cupcakes, and other soft baked goods!]

Fascinating, isn't it?

The 2nd kind of magic is just as enchanting as the first. Coincidentally, this particular banana bread has actually put smiles on a lot of faces in this household. But more on this type of baking magic on a much later post.:)