Brown loaf

Tam West

Auckland Grammar School has released its first cookbook, an ambitious idea conceived over lunch in New York. Cleverly launched in time for Father's Day, A Taste of Grammar was collated by expat Old Boy Anthony Hoy Fong, the school's most famous culinary figure, who met with headmaster Tim O'Connor eight months ago in the Big Apple. The book was a big project. Anthony received 300 recipes from parents, students, old boys, teachers and housemasters, which had to be pared down to 150 recipes to coincide with 150 years of Grammar education. The cookbook is available online at ags.school.nz.

Ingredients

200 g	Butter, softened but not melted
¾ cup	Brown sugar
4	Eggs
4	Bananas, ripe, mashed (Main)
1 tsp	Vanilla extract
½ cup	Milk
2 tsp	Baking soda
2 cups	Wholemeal flour
2 tsp	Baking powder
¾ cup	Bran flakes (Main)
¼ cup	LSA (Linseed, Sunflower and Almond mix)
¼ cup	Dried coconut

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease and line a large loaf tin (about 28cm x 14cm x 7cm deep) with baking paper or alternatively, use 2 smaller loaf tins.
2. Place butter and sugar in a large bowl and cream until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition. Add the mashed bananas and vanilla extract.
3. Heat milk to just below boiling point, remove from heat and add baking soda. Mix into creamed mixture.
4. In another bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Gradually mix creamed mixture into dry ingredients, until all is combined, but not overmixing.
5. Spoon mixture into loaf tin and place in the centre of the oven. Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Turn off the oven, keeping the door ajar to let the heat out quickly. After 5 minutes, remove loaf from the oven and place on a board, covering with a clean tea towel.

More recipes fromA Taste of Grammar:

• Anthony's fried chicken
• Vegetarian sausage rolls