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November 21, 2005
TPC's Banana Pecan Nut Bread
As a kid I hated bananas, so my Mom got me to eat her banana bread by calling it 'grape' bread. Okay, it was really deceptive, but that's what love is all about, I guess...
Sorry, got caught up in a bit of a daydream, where were we? Ah, yes, banana bread. I continue to love it in adulthood, though a banana fan I'm not, still. Fried plantains? Dig 'em, but a banana in the morning doesn't cut it for me.
Here's my version of banana bread. It's moist, thanks to a stick of butter and two eggs in each loaf. With 3 bananas, it has lots of banana flavor. I use a combination of brown and regular sugar, which gives it a bit more depth that you find in a lot of recipes. To top it off I use a butter/honey glaze to give it a beautiful shine and richness.
It's easy to make, too, no mixer required really, just make sure your butter is soft when you start. I recommend taking the time to cream the sugars well, to give that great texture a good start. Don't overmix once the flour's in, you don't need to develop gluten here.
So, without further reverie, here's my Banana Pecan Nut Bread:
TPC's Banana Pecan Nut Bread
For the bread, makes 2 loaves:
1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 cups flour
6 large ripe bananas, mashed (I keep leftover over ripe bananas in the freezer just for this purpose)
1 cup chopped pecans, toast them a bit and salt lightly for bonus points.
For the glaze:
1 stick butter (you can use a bit of this to grease the pans, or have extra)
1/2 C honey
Melt in a microwave and stir. Drizzle on top of the bread while warm.
Easy directions:
Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add vanilla, soda, salt and flour one at a time, stirring until combined. Stir in the bananas and chopped, toasted pecans.
Pour the batter into 2 well buttered 5 X 9 loaf pans and give a it a firm tap on the counter to eliminate air pockets. Into the oven to bake at 325° (convection 300º) for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted in center comes out cleanly. Check it at an hour just to make sure it's not going to surprise you.
Remove and let sit until it's set enough to remove from the pan. Let cool until hunger drives you mad.
Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at November 21, 2005 6:27 AM
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