It didn't require much digging to happen upon these delicious treasures. In fact, we didn't make it further than Emma's kitchen cupboard before we discovered the key ingredients for our West African-inspired peanut butter-banana cookies. While countries like Ghana and Senegal aren't necessarily famous for their confections, their peoples certainly don't ignore sweets altogether. Rather, they scour natural food sources to satisfy their cravings, and amongst their favorite treats are their plentiful and enriching bananas. With bananas and other fruits and root vegetables, West Africans find creative ways to celebrate their abundant harvests, making custards, called fools, along with more European- and American-based treats.
Following the tradition of using local, readily available ingredients, West African cuisine also showcases the peanut, a food staple that is both scrumptious and nutritious, and is used mostly in savory dishes, including stews and soups. Of course, we've taken the liberty to find a sweeter application for the beloved peanut in our own baking adventures!
After a bit of fact-checking, the remainder of our work in the kitchen was simple. We enthusiastically grabbed the peanut butter and mashed some bananas, and stirred together a perfect marriage between two of our favorite indulgences. Our Gold Mine cookies sparkle with cinnamon-sugar, contributing yet another delicious dimension of the West African flavor palate to an already indelible dessert!
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