When you have a lemon you make lemonade (well here actually you find more limes and you use them to support your favourite fresh fish recipe). If you have a banana tree you All Postseat bananas. You never tire of bananas here as they happen to be so fresh (not gassed like those imported ones northerners taste) and just so sweet and succulent.
You have not likely ever tasted a sweeter banana. You do feel you could never tire of the taste, but if you suspect you need a change, what they say about life applies to fruits too, so here is a very unhealthy way to prepare a healthy fruit but at the same time just sooooooooooo yummy!
I used this recipe from America’s Test Kitchen and I plagiarize so seldom, and I don’t really think it is plagiarzing anyway, as I am giving them due credit. The secret, shhhhhhh, is freezing the bananas so you get rid of extra juices that destroy texture during baking and at the same time you up the banana flavor to extreme levels.
Start with five ripe Dominican bananas (ATK didn’t start with the best banana) and freeze them overnight. It is when they thaw they release the juices that would otherwise ruin the texture of this supercharged loaf. Thaw them in a bowl in the refrigerator and let them release all those sweet and sticky juices over time. Eventually you drain the banana liquid and simmer it to concentrates to about half its original volume. Then you pour the concentrated banana syrup back in with the drained bananas and mash them all up into a mixture as creamy or chunky as you like your loaf to feel. Voila!! You now have the most incredible base to start on the journey of creating the most remarkable banana bread. One that will bring smiles of incredibility to all your friends fortunate enough to secure their piece. I have friends and family that now make reservations for their personal pieces (they wish, only one each and get back in the lineup) once they get wind of the next creation day.
Ultimate Banana Bread
Freeze five over ripe bananas, bring to room temperature and drain liquid off
Simmer banana liquid on med/hi to reduce to ¼ cup (about five min)
Mash the bananas with the reduced juice
Whisk
1 ¾ c all purpose flour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
Mix
2 sticks of butter (1 cup melted)
1 tsp pure vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 c brown sugar (stir in until dissolved)
Add liquid to dry and do not over stir as it increases gluten
Optional – ¼ cup of toasted walnuts
Pour into 8 1/2 X 4 ½ loaf pan sprayed with oil/flour spray
Slice a sixth banana on the diagonal 1/4 “ thick
Add down each side on top of batter
Sprinkle 2 tsp sugar over top for a crust
Bake 1 hr moderately hot 350F oven on middle rack
Rotate @ 30 min mark
Cool 15 min before taking out of pan
Cool additional 20 min before serving
ENJOY and SHARE and have a happy banana day!!
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