How to make Yeasted Banana Bread

Banana bread is not any stranger to most of us, however someplace round 99.99% of banana bread recipes prove fast breads (breads leavened with baking powder or baking soda relatively than yeast).

I like banana fast breads and muffins, to make sure, however typically it’s slightly enjoyable to shake issues up and make a yeast bread with overripe bananas.

Plus, this bread is type of a looker.

Aaand should you desire a lighter, less-sweet banana bread, this can be proper up your alley…it’s extra like bread and fewer like cake.

I used to make this once I was a young person, and the recipe comes from my beloved Seventies Higher Houses and Gardens bread cookbook.   I’d type of forgotten about it till I ended up with 10 tremendous ripe bananas lately, so I made a decision this was an excellent time to mud off the recipe!

To start out, you’ll have to mash some overly ripe bananas.

You are able to do this in a meals processor, however as a result of I’m too lazy to get it out and wash it, I simply use a potato masher.

I by no means get the bananas as effective because the meals processor does, however this appears to don’t have any ailing impact on the top product.

Straightforward for the win!

You’ll additionally want to mix the milk, sugar, butter, and salt and warmth it to round 120 ° F.   The microwave is tremendous handy for this and I do it proper within the measuring cup.

Mix 2 cups of the flour with the dry yeast.

Combine the yeast and flour collectively.   Then you definitely’ll pour within the milk combination and add the bananas, an egg, and an egg yolk.

(We’re reserving one white for glazing the loaves later.)

At this level, the dough can be much more like batter and also you’ll beat it on medium pace for about 3 minutes.

Now you’re going so as to add in as a lot of the remaining flour as essential to make a kneadable dough.

I like my dough to be pretty smooth once I begin to knead it, however you can also make yours slightly stiffer than mine should you like.

Right here’s what it’ll appear to be if you dump it out.

And when you knead it, it ought to look extra like this.   See the way it’s nonetheless smooth sufficient to type of flatten out a bit on the counter?

That’s good as a result of when dough may be very stiff, the yeast bubbles have a tough time lifting it, and the result’s heavy bread.

Softer dough will stand up superbly, although.

Place the dough in a bowl, cowl it with a moist tea towel, and depart it to rise for an hour.

As soon as it’s completed rising, flip it out onto a flippantly floured counter and divide it in half.

Then you definitely’ll wish to make every half right into a spherical loaf.   I do that by pulling the outer edges round in order that there’s a easy floor on the highest and type of an unsightly mess on the underside, like so.

It takes slightly little bit of apply to do that simply, particularly with a ball of dough this measurement, nevertheless it’s the easiest way I’ve discovered to make good easy yeast dough balls for loaves, buns, or rolls.

Place every loaf onto a greased baking sheet.   You possibly can attempt to match two on one sheet, however I believe it’s too crowded that approach.

Cowl every loaf with a moist tea towel and let the loaves rise till doubled, about 30-45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 °F about ten minutes earlier than the rising time is up so the oven is good and sizzling when your bread is able to bake.

Then whisk an egg white along with a teaspoon of water.   Brushing this over the unbaked loaves will assist them develop a lovely sheen whereas they bake.

Brush over the entire loaf, after which use a knife to make slashes on the loaf, like so:

I discover {that a} knife with actually shallow serrations works nice for a activity like this.

Pop your loaf into the oven and bake for 30-45 minutes, then take away loaf to a wire rack to chill.

(And put your different loaf within the oven to bake!)

Then slice, butter, and luxuriate in.

For the reason that recipe makes two loaves, and because it has no preservatives, you’ll most likely wish to freeze one in order that it doesn’t dry out earlier than you get to it.

When you’ve got a small household, attempt reducing the loaves in half and freezing every half individually.   That approach you possibly can defrost only one half at a time.

Yeasted Banana Bread

Printable Yeasted Banana Bread Recipe
makes 2 spherical loaves

5.5-6 cups all function flour (Gold Medal Unbleached is the BEST)
2 pkg. lively dry yeast
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, lower into items
2 ripe bananas, mashed (1 cup)
2 eggs

In a big mixer bowl, mix yeast with 2 cups of the flour.

In a measuring cup, mix the milk, sugar, butter, and salt, and warmth to 115 °F.

With the mixer operating, add the milk combination to the flour combination. Then add mashed bananas, 1 egg, and 1 egg yolk (reserve the white for brushing over the loaves.)

Beat at low pace till mixed, then beat at medium pace for 3 minutes. Stir in sufficient remaining flour to make a smooth, however kneadable dough.

Flip dough out onto a floured floor and knead 3-5 minutes, including flour as obligatory, till dough is easy and elastic.

Place dough in bowl, cowl with moist tea towel, place in a heat spot and let rise for 1 hour.

Flip dough out onto a floured floor, divide in half, and form every half right into a spherical loaf. Place every loaf on a greased baking sheet. Cowl with a humid tea towel and let rise til double (30-45 minutes).

Use a knife with shallow serrations to make slashes across the loaf as proven within the pictures. Beat egg white with 1 teaspoon water; brush over loaves.

Bake in a preheated 350 °F oven for half-hour. Take away from baking sheet to chill on a wire rack, and place second loaf in oven to bake.