Ultimate Banana Bread

Notes

• Use bananas that are very ripe. The skins should be mostly black and the bananas should be quite aromatic. Some mild bruising on the banana itself is fine.
• You can do this recipe in 2 phases, if you want. After cooking down the bananas, just put them in a container and freeze until you're ready to use them. You can defrost them either in the fridge or the microwave before making the quick bread.
• Original recipe can be found here (login probably needed).

Ingredients

• 5 large very ripe bananas, (about 2 1/4 pounds), peeled and frozen
• 1 3/4 cups (8 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 8 TBL (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) packed light brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped (optional)
• 1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
• 2 tsp sugar

Directions

Preparing the Bananas

1. Place a saucepan with 1/2 cup of water over medium heat.
2. Place a fine mesh colander over the saucepan.
3. Remove the bananas from the freezer and break into thirds. Place the bananas in the colander. Cover the pot loosely with a lid.
4. Every 5 minutes or so, stir the bananas to encourage the liquid to fall into the pot.
5. Cook the bananas over medium heat until most of the liquid has been released from the bananas and the liquid in the pot is syrupy, about 20 minutes. You should have about 1/4 to 1/2 of a cup of liquid in the pot.
6. Remove pot from heat and add the bananas back into the liquid.
7. Using a potato masher, or a fork, mash the bananas until mostly smooth. Some banana chunks are okay.
8. Let the mixture cool to room temperature before making the bread.

At this point, you can freeze the reduced bananas and liquid for the future, or continue below.

Making the Quick Bread

If you are using previously frozen reduced bananas, microwave it until it is no longer frozen, but not hot.

1. Preheat your oven to 350° F. Adjust oven rack to middle position.
2. Spray a 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt.
4. In a large bowl (or in the saucepan, if you still have it out), whisk together the reduced bananas and liquid, butter, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla and lemon zest.
5. Add the flour mixture to the large bowl. Fold in until just combined with some flour streak remaining. Do not over-mix.
6. Fold in the nuts.
7. Pour mixture into the loaf pan.
8. Sprinkle the 2 tsp of sugar evenly over the top of the mixture.
9. Bake 55 to 75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or until bread registers 190° on an instant-read thermometer.
10. Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes.
11. Remove loaf from pan and cool completely before slicing.