Banana and Honey Bread

Banana and Honey Bread

Banana bread is oh-so-simple... yet like many simple recipes, requires a few out of the ordinary ingredients to bring it from potentially boring to memorable. A hint of spice, honey for sweetness and moist texture, and one final touch—a few spoonfuls of jam—distinguish this tasty bread from run-of-the-mill versions.

This moist, dense banana bread is a deep golden brown, with mild-to-medium banana flavor and a light touch of spice (Basic recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour)

Tips

Please measure all the ingredients in standard measuring cups and spoons.

Be sure to use ripe bananas; their peels should be bright yellow, with no green showing at all, and beginning to turn brown. For more pronounced banana flavor, use extra-ripe bananas, ones whose peels are mostly black-brown.

An easy way to mash bananas is to peel, cut into chunks, and place in a zip-top plastic bag, leaving about 1/4" open at the top of the bag for air to escape. Gently knead/flatten/squash the banana chunks with your fingers.

Makes – 9 slices (1 small loaf)

You will need

30 g (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature

50 g (1/4 cup) brown sugar, light or dark, firmly packed

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup (65 g) mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium or 1 large bananas)

1 tablespoon apricot jam or orange marmalade, optional but tasty

2 tablespoons honey

1 egg

½ cup (100 g) All-Purpose Flour / Maida

Method

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Grease baking dish / loaf pan with 1 teaspoon butter and dust with 2 teaspoons flour (sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of flour inside a cake pan and shake to coat all greased surface. Turn pan upside down to tap out the excess flour ) or greased butter paper.

In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, beating till smooth (please use electric beater).

Add the mashed bananas, jam, honey, and eggs, again beating until smooth.

Add the flour, then the walnuts, stirring just until smooth.

Pour the banana mixture into a paper - lined and greased or greased loaf pan / baking dish and bake at 170 * C or 325 * F (very moderate) for 30 - 35 minutes or a sewer inserted in the centre comes out clean and also it leaves from the sides of the pan. Cool for a while before turning out onto wire rack. Keep aside to cool for 20 minutes and cut into slices or desired shapes.

To cut banana bread into very thin slices, warm the bread knife a little before slicing the bread.