Adjust the oven rack to the lower third of the oven (not the lowest) and preheat the oven to 350.
Line your 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper with the sides of it overhanging, for easier removal.
Mash bananas with a fork, stir in sour cream, eggs and vanilla into it and whisk until well combined.
Combine the first 8 ingredients in the bowl of your stand mixer (flour, butter and everything in between.) I recommend mixing flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a small bowl then sifting it into the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix on low for just a minute or two until coarse crumbs (similar to the process of making a pie dough.) Gently scrape the sides and bottom of your bowl with a rubber spatula.
Add your banana mixture and mix on low for as little as possible, until all of the flour is incorporated (just around a minute.) Be sure to stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Fold in chocolate chips gently with a rubber spatula at this time.
Pour your batter into 9x5 parchment lined loaf pan. Run a wet butter knife across the wet batter in the middle of the loaf for better more professional presentation. Sprinkle pistachios over the top of the loaf.
Bake in preheated oven for 48-52 minutes until the bread passes a toothpick test with a toothpick test (insert a toothpick in the middle of the bread and it should come out with a few moist crumbs, and not wet batter.) The internal temperature of the bread should be 204-206F (not much higher or it will be dry.) For me, 49 minutes or just under seemed to be perfect.
Let cool in the loaf pan for 15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool completely on racks. Enjoy.
For the ganache, heat cream on medium heat until hot and bubbles form on the edges. Add chocolate and allow to sit for a minute. Then stir with a rubber spatula into creamy ganache. Drizzle over cooled bread (or still slightly warm bread.) Sprinkle pistachios on top of the ganache.
My preference is to serve this bread after refrigeration. I find the texture improves when this bread is cold.
Chocolate chips are great in this recipe as they are so gooey. But using some chopped chocolate will really do wonders, as all of those little bits will melt into the batter taking it to the whole new level. Do your absolutely best to use some chocolate chips, some semi-sweet chopped chocolate and some chopped white chocolate. If you want, feel free to increase the amount of chocolate by 2-3 TBSP.
Ingredients
Directions
Adjust the oven rack to the lower third of the oven (not the lowest) and preheat the oven to 350.
Line your 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper with the sides of it overhanging, for easier removal.
Mash bananas with a fork, stir in sour cream, eggs and vanilla into it and whisk until well combined.
Combine the first 8 ingredients in the bowl of your stand mixer (flour, butter and everything in between.) I recommend mixing flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a small bowl then sifting it into the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix on low for just a minute or two until coarse crumbs (similar to the process of making a pie dough.) Gently scrape the sides and bottom of your bowl with a rubber spatula.
Add your banana mixture and mix on low for as little as possible, until all of the flour is incorporated (just around a minute.) Be sure to stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Fold in chocolate chips gently with a rubber spatula at this time.
Pour your batter into 9x5 parchment lined loaf pan. Run a wet butter knife across the wet batter in the middle of the loaf for better more professional presentation. Sprinkle pistachios over the top of the loaf.
Bake in preheated oven for 48-52 minutes until the bread passes a toothpick test with a toothpick test (insert a toothpick in the middle of the bread and it should come out with a few moist crumbs, and not wet batter.) The internal temperature of the bread should be 204-206F (not much higher or it will be dry.) For me, 49 minutes or just under seemed to be perfect.
Let cool in the loaf pan for 15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool completely on racks. Enjoy.
For the ganache, heat cream on medium heat until hot and bubbles form on the edges. Add chocolate and allow to sit for a minute. Then stir with a rubber spatula into creamy ganache. Drizzle over cooled bread (or still slightly warm bread.) Sprinkle pistachios on top of the ganache.
My preference is to serve this bread after refrigeration. I find the texture improves when this bread is cold.
Chocolate chips are great in this recipe as they are so gooey. But using some chopped chocolate will really do wonders, as all of those little bits will melt into the batter taking it to the whole new level. Do your absolutely best to use some chocolate chips, some semi-sweet chopped chocolate and some chopped white chocolate. If you want, feel free to increase the amount of chocolate by 2-3 TBSP.
