Banana Bread

A good banana bread recipe should be in every baker’s quick bread quiver. If you don’t have one, now you do.

BANANA BREAD

2 large ripe bananas

2 eggs (flax or chicken)

3/4 cup brown sugar

6 tablespoons melted butter (dairy or vegan)

1/2 cup milk (dairy or vegan)

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 tablespoon grated orange zest

1/2 cup chocolate chips

If using flax egg, mix and set aside first. Next, smash the bananas with a fork or potato masher. Add your melted butter, brown sugar, milk and eggs (if using chicken eggs, make sure that the mixture is cool enough). Mix with wooden spoon or fork until just incorporated.

Add dry ingredients, including zest and spices, but not chocolate chips. Mix until things are just coming together. It’s important not to over mix batters with wheat flours since the gluten develops real quick. No one wants chewy bread. Keep gently folding from edge of bowl into the center while moving the bowl in circles. Add the chips by folding in this same motion.

Add to a loaf pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray and a little saddle of parchment coming over the long edges. This will make your life easier when trying to pull the good-smelling bread out because you can’t wait to just eat it.

Bonus points if you sprinkle the whole unbaked pan with cinnamon sugar prior to baking.

Bake at 365 or so for about an hour, or until tester comes out clean.

Pull out and place on cooling rack for at least a couple minutes and try to pretend that you don’t even care.

Adapted from Williams -Sonoma “Essentials of Baking”