Ultimate Banana Bread

Recipe from America's Test Kitchen...

Makes one 9-inch loaf

Be sure to use very ripe, heavily speckled (or even black) bananas in this recipe. This recipe can be made using 5 thawed frozen bananas; since they release a lot of liquid naturally, they can bypass the microwaving in step 2 and go directly into the fine-mesh strainer. Do not use a thawed frozen banana in step 4; it will be too soft to slice. Instead, simply sprinkle the top of the loaf with sugar. The test kitchen’s preferred loaf pan measures 8½ by 4½ inches; if you use a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, start checking for doneness five minutes earlier than advised in the recipe. The texture is best when the loaf is eaten fresh, but it can be stored (cool completely first), covered tightly with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 3/4cups (8 3/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2teaspoon table salt
• 6large very ripe bananas (about 2 1/4 pounds), peeled (see note)
• 8tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly
• 2large eggs
• 3/4cup (5 1/4 ounces) packed light brown sugar
• 1teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2cup walnuts , toasted and coarsely chopped (optional)
• 2teaspoons granulated sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl.
• 2. Place 5 bananas in microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap and cut several steam vents in plastic with paring knife. Microwave on high power until bananas are soft and have released liquid, about 5 minutes. Transfer bananas to fine-mesh strainer placed over medium bowl and allow to drain, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes (you should have ½ to ¾ cup liquid).
• 3. Transfer liquid to medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to ¼ cup, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir reduced liquid into bananas, and mash with potato masher until fairly smooth. Whisk in butter, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla.
• 4. Pour banana mixture into flour mixture and stir until just combined with some streaks of flour remaining. Gently fold in walnuts, if using. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Slice remaining banana diagonally into ¼-inch-thick slices. Shingle banana slices on top of either side of loaf, leaving 1½-inch-wide space down center to ensure even rise. Sprinkle granulated sugar evenly over loaf.
• 5. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 55 to 75 minutes. Cool bread in pan on wire rack 15 minutes, then remove loaf from pan and continue to cool on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

TECHNIQUE

• DO THE RIPE THING

  Don’t even think of making banana bread with anything less than very ripe, heavily speckled fruit—unless you’re fine with a bland loaf. As bananas ripen, their starch converts to sugar at an exponential rate. In lab tests, we found heavily speckled bananas had nearly three times the amount of fructose (the sweetest of the sugars in fruit) than less spotty bananas. (The exact percentage will vary from fruit to fruit.) But the impact of ripeness only goes so far: We found little difference in sweetness between loaves baked with completely black bananas and those made with heavily speckled ones.
• 
  TOO SOON
  1.8% FRUCTOSE
  A lightly speckled banana has only a little fructose, the sweetest sugar in fruit.
• 
  JUST RIGHT
  5.3% FRUCTOSE
  A heavily speckled banana has a lot more fructose.

TECHNIQUE

• WHO KNEW? BANANAS HAVE JUICE

  
  Typical banana bread contains just three pieces of fruit. Here’s how we upped the number to five without turning the loaf into pudding.
• 
  1. EXTRACT JUICE
  Microwaving ripe bananas for 5 minutes causes them to release “juice.”
• 
  2. STRAIN IT OUT
  After straining the bananas, you should have 1/2 to 3/4 cup of liquid to work with.
• 
  3. REDUCE THE JUICE
  Reducing the banana liquid yields a concentrated liquor, intensifying flavor without making the loaf wet.

TECHNIQUE

• SHINGLE YOUR LOAF

  
  Layering thin banana slices on either side of the loaf adds even more banana flavor to our bread (and brings the total number of bananas in the recipe to six). To ensure an even rise, leave a 1½-inch-wide space down the center.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Cinnamon Rolls

(I got this recipe from my Mother in law)

Basic Roll Dough

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water

***

• 1 cup milk, scalded
• 1/4 up sugar
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 egg

Soften yeast in warm water (110 degrees). Combine milk, sugar, shortening, and salt; cool to lukewarm. Add 1 1/2 cups of flour; beat well. Beat in yeast & egg. Gradually add remaining flour to form soft dough, beating well. Place in greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover and let rise till doubled (1 1/2 to 2 hours). Turn onto lightly floured surface & shape as desired. Cover & let shaped rolls raise until doubled (30 to 45 minutes). Bake on greased baking sheet or in greased muffin pans in hot oven (400 degrees) for 12 to 15 minutes. Makes 2 dozen cloverleafs, or 1 dozen parker house rolls.

Cinnamon Roll Filling (I double the filling)

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Raisins (optional)

I add all of these ingredients, and then spread it over the dough.

Yvonne's special instructions: I put 1/4 cup hot water into a measuring cup (I run it hot from the tap. If your water is really hot, don't let it get too hot.) Then I pour in the yeast, a shake of salt & a touch of sugar then slightly stir with a toothpick (I do this to feed the yeast, & it grows better). Now your yeast is starting to activate. Pour your milk in a saucepan, and turn to high for just a few minutes. When little bubbles form around the sides, it's scalded. Don't let it go too long, or it burns. It just needs to be pretty warm. While it heats, I add the sugar, salt, & shortening into the bowl. Then pour in the milk, add 2 cups of flour, and stir well. Then I crack the egg, beat it with a fork, add it to the bowl, then add the yeast last. It should be pretty frothy now. Stir vigorously for a few minutes. This begins the glutton process, and then add a little flour and stir, until you add flour and Knead with your hands. I put a little shortening on my hands to keep them from getting too sticky. Keep kneading until dough is smooth & bounces back when pushed down. Spray pam, or spread shortening around bowl & some on top of dough. Put a dish towel over the top of the bowl & let rise. After the first rising, roll the dough onto a floured surface to make a rectangle. If you keep the dough thicker (like a half inch, and cut the slices bigger, it will make better rolls.) After dough is rolled out spread the cinnamon & sugar mixture over the top, roll the dough the long way (the short sides will be at the top & bottom. Then cut in about 1 1/2" slices. Place them on a greased cookie sheet to rise the second time - don't cover. I place them close together, and they rise up high and have soft edges. (Only about 1/2 inch between each slice). Now bake as directed. As soon as they are finished, turn out onto a board, wash the pan (I use oven mits), dry the pan, and return the rolls back into the pan. This keeps them from sticking to the pan.

Cinnamon Roll Glaze

• 4 Tablespoons Powdered sugar
• Shortening
• Milk
• Vanilla extract
• Imitation almond extract

I pour the powdered sugar into a bowl, add a few tablespoons of shortening, and little milk, along with vanilla & almond flavoring. Stir with a spoon vigorously to break up the shortening. If it is too dry & thick add a little milk, if it is too runny, add a little powdered sugar. After I've placed the rolls back into the cookie sheet, and they've cooled, I pour the glaze over the top.

Credits: All pictures taken by Me!

Homemade Dinner Rolls

I made these for Canadian Thanksgiving this year and they turned out so yummy!! Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 package dry active yeast
• 1 cup warm water about 110 degrees F
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup milk, scalded, but cooled to warm
• 4 ounces melted butter, plus 2 ounces
• 5 cups flour, plus more as needed

Directions

In a standing mixing bowl with dough hook, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let sit until lightly foamy, then stir in sugar and egg, salt, warm milk, and 4 ounces of butter. Slowly add 5 cups flour, adding more as needed to make an elastic dough. Mix well, then roll out to floured surface and knead dough for about 5 minutes. (I don't have a standing mixing bowl so I just mixed by hand).

Place dough in buttered bowl, cover with towel, and set in a warm place to rise until double in bulk, about 1 hour.

Lightly oil the baking sheet. Punch down dough and roll out with a rolling pin. Make rolls with a circle cookie cutter. And place on baking sheet about 1/2 inch apart. Butter half of the roll dough and fold in over to form half a circle. Or lightly oil muffin pan. Punch down dough and form dough into 1-inch balls. Place 3 balls in each muffin tin. Fill muffin pan.

Cover with towel, and allow to rise an additional 1/2 hour to 1 hour.

Pre heat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Brush with remaining melted butter. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on your oven, until golden brown. I only cooked mine for 8 minutes, turning my baking dish at 4 minutes.

Yields: 25 - 30 Rolls

Credits: All pictures taken by Me!