FOR THE BLACK SESAME PASTE:

1. Put toasted black sesame seeds in a food processor & process until almost all the seeds have been ground into a powder
2. Add honey to the black sesame powder & continue to process until mixture turns into a thick paste
3. (this will make more paste than you need for the recipe, store remaining paste in a glass jar at room temperature)

FOR THE BANANA BREAD

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350F degrees
2. In a bowl, whisk the flour, black cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda & salt together until well combined
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs & sugar together until light, add the black sesame paste & continue to beat until well combined
4. Mash the bananas with with a fork until smooth & add to the bowl of the stand mixer along with the oil, milk & vanilla – mix until well combined
5. Add the dry ingredients into the wet in three additions, mixing in between additions – once batter is just blended together, add in 2 tbsp black sesame seeds and mix to incorporate the seeds into the batter
6. Lightly grease a 9″x5″ metal baking pan & line it with a sheet of parchment paper
7. Pour the batter into the baking pan, top with remaining 1 tbsp sesame seeds, the banana slice & then sprinkle the whole thing with 1 tbsp sugar
8. Bake in the center of your oven for 60-70 minutes, until…
9. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then lift the bread by the parchment and onto a cooling rack to rest & cool for at least another 10 minutes before slicing
10. Serve warm from the oven with a pad of butter (our personal favorite) and re-warm any leftovers the next day for ultimate eating pleasure ;)