BANANA BREAD

It feels so good to be baking again! Recently I got hold of the book, Heirloom Baking with the Brass Sisters. I had seen an episode with them on the Food Network show Throwdown with Bobby Flay and they were so adorable that I knew I had to get their book.

Recipes that are handed down through generations have their own charm. Every family has their own masterpiece recipe. This blog is an attempt of getting prized recipes from my family and the ones that I find good under one roof and make an heirloom recipe collection of my own, just like the Brass sisters.

So, I set off to try their Banana Bread recipe, with pretty good results. The reason I chose a banana centric recipe was that I had these overly ripe bananas sitting on my kitchen counter for some time. And unlike others, who would gross out by just the sight of black skinned bananas, I just exclaim, overjoyed by the opportunity to bake something banana-eyy!:)

The melted butter gives the bread a texture quite close to that of cake. And, for an extra punch, I toast the nuts.

BANANA BREAD

source: Heirloom Baking with the Brass Sisters

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 1/3 cups mashed bananas (about 3 medium bananas)

1 1/2 cups finely chopped walnuts ( I like them toasted: Preheat the oven to 400°F and toast them for about 9 minutes)

DIRECTIONS

1. Set the oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom and ends of a 9-inch by 5-inch by 3-inch loaf pan with a single strip wax paper or parchment paper. Coat the pan and paper liner with vegetable spray.

2. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.

3. Cream butter, brown sugar, and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add egg and bananas and combine. Add sifted dry ingredient. Fold in nuts.

4. Pour batter into loaf pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes, or until tester inserted into loaf comes out clean. Cool on rack.

5. Store covered with a paper towel and wax paper at room temperature. Serve toasted with cream cheese.