#cannabis and coffee ftw....lol

[posttexasstressdisorder]

Alright...let’s talk Nanner Bread!

Had to turn my attention away from the horror/freak show for a minute. Can’t sleep. Figure best use of time is self care, and right now that means get baked and bake!   I just yanked these two loaves out of the oven:

And you will have to pry my groovy vintage EKCOLOY “Silver Beauty” long (12″ x 4″) loaf pans out of my cold dead hands.  Just like my cast iron.  ;-)

This is a recipe I’ve used since the early ‘90s.  I’ve tweaked it over the more than 25 years until I found the proportions to make it come out consistently.  Easily adaptable up/down as far as amounts.  This batch is plain.  I usually add fresh blueberries and roasted pecans.  Texture is good, crumb is consistent and airy.  Here’s the recipe as I make it for these two super-long loaf pans.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In an extra-large mixing bowl, crack six eggs.  Beat on high speed with hand mixer for at least a minute until super-frothy.  Alternate adding 1-and-1/3 cup milk and 2/3 cup melted butter (salted), in about three alternating additions, still beating everything on high as you do.  [Note:  I’ve made this recipe with everything from 2% milk to Half & Half to full-fat buttermilk.  It comes out nice no matter what you use, no real changes required.]

Then toss in 5 bananas that have gone brown and super soft and mushy.  If they’ve started to ferment, all the better.  Add 4 teaspoons of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of nutmeg to the whole thing and beat once again on high for at least a minute, until you have a thick batter, with all the banana and cinnamon/nutmeg distributed evenly.  

In a separate bowl, sift 6 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, 6 teaspoons plus a little more of baking powder, and 1-and-1/2 teaspoons of salt.

Pour this into the larger bowl with the beaten egg/nanner mixture.  Stir/fold with a large spoon until lumps are almost gone.  Leave some lumps!  At this point is where I usually toss in 2 small trays of fresh blueberries and a ramekin full of broken toasted pecans.  Stir the additions in until distributed evenly.  Be sure to pre-roast any nuts you use, that adds to the flavor.  I roast pecan halves on a pizza pan at 325 for 11 minutes exactly, let ‘em cool, and break ‘em up into a ramekin.

Grease your two pans and flour them, as well.  Fill them equally.  Top off with a GENEROUS sprinkling of “Sparkling Sugar”.  This is what makes the wonderfully cracked top.

Bake at 375 degrees for 55 minutes.  Done when  toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean.  Cool in pans for 15 minutes, and then remove from pans and cool on a rack.  Enjoy a slice warm with some butter, or wait until it’s completely cooled and have a slice toasted in the morning.  Slice about 3/4″ thick, with a serrated bread knife (thin blade) with a sawing motion.

This banana bread keeps on the countertop for several days, if wrapped in waxed paper and foil.  Fridge any remains after about 4 days, 3 days if the blueberries are added.  Remains can also be sliced about 3/4″ thick, separated with waxed paper, and frozen in a baggie.  They come back to life in the toaster oven beautifully.  Toast the frozen slice until it is slightly browned and warm all the way through...have slathered with full-fat Greek Yogurt for breakfast. ;-)

Enjoy!