Banana Bread

The riper (and blacker) the bananas, the better — their starches have converted to sugar, giving you a naturally sweeter, more flavorful loaf.

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides for easy removal.

2. 2

   In a large bowl, mash the very ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth, with just a few small lumps remaining.

3. 3

   Stir the melted butter into the mashed bananas.

4. 4

   Add the sugar, egg, and vanilla, and whisk until well combined.

5. 5

   Sprinkle the baking soda and salt evenly over the mixture and stir in.

6. 6

   Add the flour and fold gently with a spatula, mixing just until no dry streaks remain — overmixing at this stage develops gluten and results in a dense, tough loaf instead of a tender crumb.

7. 7

   Fold in the walnuts or chocolate chips if using, reserving a few to sprinkle on top for presentation.

8. 8

   Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. If desired, slice a very ripe banana half lengthwise and lay it on top for a decorative finish.

9. 9

   Bake for 55–65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). If the top browns too quickly before the center is done, tent loosely with foil for the remaining bake time.

10. 10

    Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then use the parchment overhang to lift it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.