SERVES 2 / TIME: 20 MIN
2 overripe bananas (the peels should be black)
1½ teaspoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
¼ cup rum
Salt
1 to 2 scoops Coffee Grounds Ice Cream (here), or other ice cream, not too sweet
¼ cup Banana–Coffee Grounds Bread Crumbs (at right)
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Make a lengthwise slit in the peel of each banana and wrap in foil. On a baking sheet, roast the bananas in their skins for 10 minutes, until soft and cooked. Remove from the oven and let rest on the baking sheet until the bananas are cool enough to handle. Open the foil, pouring off the liquid into a dish to reserve for drizzling later. Scrape the banana pulp out of the skin into a bowl. Store the peels in the freezer for serving.
In a medium pan over medium heat, melt the butter and add the banana pulp, brown sugar, and rum. Cook, stirring for about 7 minutes, until it thickens and little brown bits begin to collect on the bottom of the pan. Add a pinch of salt.
When ready to serve, stuff the peels with the banana filling and serve with a scoop of ice cream. Finish with coffee bread crumbs and a drizzle of the reserved banana syrup.
MAKES 1 LOAF / ACTIVE TIME: 45 MIN / INACTIVE TIME: 30 MIN
This simple recipe brings together the hyper-concentrated flavors and wonderful moisture of overripe bananas and coffee grounds. It can be mixed by hand, but if you do use an electric mixer, do not overmix.
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1½ cups mashed, very ripe bananas (3 large or 4 medium)
1 tablespoon used coffee grounds
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 × 5 × 3-inch loaf pan.
Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Add the eggs, mashed bananas, and coffee grounds until blended.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture and mix until just combined.
Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Bake for 30 minutes, until the loaf has risen and cracks in the center.
Let cool on a wire rack. Turn upside down to serve.
TIME: 30 MIN
After enjoying your bread, bake and dry the leftover crumbs for a crunchy crumble topping, wonderful on ice cream or in granola. Whatever amount of crumbs you have, you can use.
1 cup (or more) crumbs from Overripe Banana–Coffee Grounds Bread (at left)
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Spread the banana bread crumbs in a single layer on a parchment-covered baking sheet. Toast on an upper rack in the oven for 30 minutes, until dry and crisp.
Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days.