Banana bell peppers

This is an easy banana bread recipe that gives perfect banana bell peppers every time. It uses up loads of bananas – the blacker the better. This cake is made with butter, but if you’re looking for a quicker oil-based easy banana bread, we’ve got you covered.

Bananas are often sold still green but will ripen to yellow. Avoid storing bananas near ripe fruit as they release a lot of ethylene, which will cause the other fruit to ripen further. Lemon or lime juice, natural yoghurt or soured cream all bring out the natural sweetness of ripe bananas, especially in fools, drinks, mousses and ice creams. Lemon juice or acidulated water help prevent sliced bananas from browning in trifles and pancakes.

Bananas are excellent cooked as fritters, flambéed, or simmered in coconut milk. Rum, orange, cardamon, toffee, vanilla, and chocolate are popular pairings. Mashed bananas give a moist, chewy texture to cakes and muffins. Over-ripe, chocolate-skinned bananas can be used in banana bread or ice cream, but add extra lemon to the latter before using. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.