Banana Bread

Banana Bread
from America's Test Kitchen
My Comments
This is by far the best banana bread recipe I've found.  I use a gold loaf pan.  It's the easiest and best tasting.  We often add chocolate chips for a little treat.  I have not yet tried baking in smaller "individual" loaf pans to test baking time, temperatures.  But these loaves freeze amazingly well.  Wrap in clear wrap, foil and then put in a freezer zip bag.  We often cut the loaf in half and immediately freeze one half and enjoy the other.


Ingredients
2 c unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 c sugar
3/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
3 very ripe, soft, darkly speckled large bananas, mashed well (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 c plain yogurt (I use Greek)
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
6 T butter, melted and cooled
1 t vanilla extract
1 1/4 c walnuts optional (I never use nuts but we often add chocolate chips)


Directions
1.  Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour 9 by 5-inch loaf pan; set aside.

2. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl; set aside.

3. Mix mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla with wooden spoon in medium bowl.  Lightly fold banana mixture into dry ingredients with rubber spatula until just combined and batter looks thick and chunky.  Fold in nuts or other add-ins.  Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth surface with rubber spatula.

4.  Bake until loaf is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 55 minutes.  Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

"What we learned:"
Ripe bananas are the key to proper texture and flavor in this bread.  Yogurt adds a nice tang to the loaf and keeps the bread moist.  Don't bother with creaming the butter and sugar - just melt the butter and fold all the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients for a delicate but sturdy crumb.