Banana Nut Bread

There's nothing quite like the scent of fresh banana bread wafting throughout the house, and overripe bananas were made for making banana bread! This recipe is moist with a tender crumb, each bite a delicious balance of sweetness from the bananas, a little spice from cinnamon and nutmeg, and texture from a blend of toasted walnuts and pecans. To yield great results, be sure your bananas are several days old, with a brown, spotty peel and are soft to the touch- firm and ripe just won't cut it. The fruit's natural sugars break down more easily into the batter when overripe, creating the perfect flavor, texture and density.

Another trick to making great banana bread (and almost all other baked goods!) that's not too dense or heavy is properly measuring out the flour. When not weighing ingredients on a scale, the best way to do this is called the "spoon and sweep" method. By gently 'fluffing' the flour with a quick stir before measuring, this lightens up the flour that has inevitably settled and packed. When you scoop and spoon the flour directly from the container into a measuring cup, then sweep the excess flour away using the flat edge of the spoon's handle, instead of dipping the measuring cup directly into the flour, you get a much more accurate amount.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 Overripe Bananas mashed
• 1 Stick Unsalted Butter melted
• 1 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter melted, for greasing the loaf pan
• 1-¾ C. All Purpose Flour*
• 1 C. Walnuts (or Pecans) roughly chopped and lightly toasted
• ½ C. Granulated White Sugar
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1-½ tsp. Ground Cinnamon
• ½ tsp. Table Salt
• ¼ tsp. Grated Nutmeg
• 2 Lg. Eggs at room temperature
• ¼ C. Sour Cream
• ½ C. Light Brown Sugar lightly packed
• 1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350℉. Gather all of your ingredients, along with your loaf pan, mixing bowls, and utensils.

The 'spoon and sweep' method is the most accurate way to measure flour, aside from weighing it on a kitchen scale. Use your spoon to gently stir and fluff the flour in its container, then scoop the flour directly into the measuring cup, using the straight edge of the spoon to sweep away the excess flour once the cup is full.

In a small sauté pan, lightly toast the walnuts (or pecans) over medium heat, just until they are warm.

Step 2: Using a paper towel, generously grease the bottom and sides of your loaf pan with the tablespoon of melted butter and set aside.

Chef's Tip: If you prefer, feel free to use a large piece of parchment paper that fully lines the bottom and up along the longest sides of the pan, as well as a little extra over the sides to help with lifting the baked bread out of the pan.

Step 3: Into the large mixing bowl, stir together the flour*, toasted nuts, granulated sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.

Step 4: In a smaller mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, light brown sugar and vanilla extract until fully emulsified. The color and texture will look similar to a light, yet rich caramel.

Step 5: Whisk the mashed bananas into the egg mixture and then fold into the dry ingredients, mixing until no dry ingredients remain.

Step 6: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top so the bread bakes evenly. Bake in your preheated oven for approximately 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.

Step 7: Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before attempting to remove it, to avoid sticking on the bottom. Turn out the bread and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

After cooling completely, bread may be stored at room temperature for a few days if kept in a container with a tight-fitting lid, or, if preferred, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator.

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