For the Chocolate Banana Bread
• Very Ripe Bananas, mashed | 275g
• Unsalted Butter, melted and slightly cooled | 95g
• Dark Brown Sugar | 90g
• Beaten Egg | 85g
• Vanilla Extract | 1 tsp
• Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream | 40g
• Plain Flour | 130g
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder | 30g
• Baking Soda | ½ tsp + a small pinch (approximately 2.5–3g)
• Salt | ¼ tsp
• Dark Chocolate Chips or Chopped Dark Chocolate (optional) | 40g

For the Chai Pistachio Crumble
• Plain Flour | 45g
• Dark Brown Sugar | 30g
• Cold Unsalted Butter, cubed | 30g
• Ground Cardamom | ½ tsp
• Ground Cinnamon | ¼ tsp
• Salt | A small pinch
• Pistachios, roughly chopped | 20g

Prepare the Chai Pistachio Crumble
• Preheat the oven to 170°C (conventional) or 160°C (fan). Line a loaf pan with baking paper.
• In a bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cardamom, cinnamon and salt.
• Add the cold butter and rub it into the dry ingredients using your fingertips until the mixture resembles a combination of fine crumbs and larger chunky pieces.
• Mix in the chopped pistachios. Refrigerate the crumble while preparing the banana bread.

Prepare the Chocolate Banana Bread
• Mash the bananas until mostly smooth.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and dark brown sugar.
• Add the beaten egg, vanilla extract and Greek yogurt. Mix until smooth.
• Add the mashed bananas and stir until well combined.
• In a separate bowl, combine the plain flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and gently fold until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
• Fold in the dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, if using.
• Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the surface.
• Scatter the chilled chai pistachio crumble evenly over the top, keeping some larger pieces for a bakery-style finish.

Bake
• Bake for approximately 50–60 minutes, starting to check at around 48–50 minutes.
• If the crumble begins to brown too quickly, loosely cover the top with aluminium foil for the remaining baking time.
• The loaf is ready when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
• Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for approximately 15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Texture
• Rich, moist and dense rather than fluffy or cakey, finished with a buttery, crunchy chai-pistachio topping.

Recipe Tips
• Use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots for a stronger banana flavour and natural sweetness.
• Once the flour is added, fold only