BANANA BREAD

Salam and good Sunday afternoon..just uploading this recipe before I forget again...got some ripe bananas in the fridge and I have got a recipe that I want to try out..so this is the result. I added the dried figs on top to give it a rustic look together with a handful of choc chips..yummy and moist.

Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
3 medium-sized bananas, very ripe
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

Heat the oven and prep the pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F with a oven rack in the bottom third of the oven. Line the loaf pan with parchment, letting the excess hang over the sides. Spray the inside with nonstick cooking spray.
→ If using nuts, toast them in the oven for 10 minutes as the oven is pre-heating.

Melt the butter: Melt the butter in the microwave or over low heat on the stovetop.
→ Alternatively, for a more cake-like banana bread, soften the butter (but do not melt) and cream it with the sugar in a stand mixer in the next step.

Combine the butter and sugar: Whisk together the melted butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until combined. (Or cream in a mixer until fluffy.)

Add the eggs: Crack the eggs into the bowl. Whisk until completely combined and the mixture is smooth.

Add the milk and vanilla: Whisk the milk and vanilla into the batter.

Mash in the bananas: Peel the bananas and add them to the bowl. Using the end of the whisk or a dinner fork, mash them into the batter. Leave the bananas as chunky or as smooth as you prefer. If you prefer an entirely smooth banana bread, mash the bananas separately until no more lumps remain, and then whisk them into the batter.

Add the flour, baking soda, and salt: Measure the flour, baking soda, and salt into the bowl. Switch to using a spatula and gently stir until the ingredients are just barely combined and no more dry flour is visible.

Fold in the nuts or chocolate, if using: Last but not least, scatter the nuts or chocolate over the batter and gently fold them in.

Pour the batter into the pan: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, using the spatula to scrape all the batter from the bowl. Smooth the top of the batter.

Bake for 55 to 65 minutes: Place the pan in the oven. Bake until the top of the cake is caramelized dark brown with some yellow interior peeking through and a tooth pick or cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean. Baking time will vary slightly depending on the moisture and sugar content of your bananas — start checking around 50 minutes and then every five minutes after.

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes: Set the loaf, still in the pan, on a cooling rack. Let it cool for 10 minutes — this helps the loaf solidify and makes it easier to remove from the pan.

Remove from pan and cool another 10 minutes: Lift the loaf out of the pan using the parchment paper "wings." Set it on the cooling rack to cool for another 10 minutes before slicing. Leftover bread can be kept, covered, at room temperature for several days or wrapped in foil and frozen for up to 3 months.

Source:  Cooking Lessons from The Kitchn