Brown Butter Walnut Banana Bread

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9x5 inch loaf pan
• •Light-colored saucepan for browning butter
• •Wire cooling rack
• •Parchment paper

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the butter

   Cut the butter into tablespoon-sized pieces and place in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. A light pan lets you see the color change. The butter will melt, then foam, then begin to sputter as the water cooks off. Swirl the pan occasionally. Watch the milk solids at the bottom. They will turn from white to golden to a deep amber, and the kitchen will smell like toasted nuts. This takes 5 to 7 minutes. The moment you see brown flecks and smell that nuttiness, pour the butter into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking. Let it cool for 10 minutes.

   The line between browned and burned is thin. Stay at the stove. The color change happens quickly at the end.
2. 2

   Toast the walnuts

   While the butter cools, spread the walnut halves on a small baking sheet. Toast in a 350F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring halfway through, until fragrant and slightly darkened. Taste one. It should be warm, rich, and slightly sweet. Let them cool, then chop roughly. Some large pieces, some smaller bits. Variety in texture matters.

3. 3

   Prepare the pan and oven

   Heat your oven to 325F. Butter a 9x5 inch loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the long sides. This makes lifting the finished loaf simple. A lower oven temperature means slower baking, which gives the center time to cook through without drying the edges.

4. 4

   Mash the bananas

   Peel the bananas directly into a large mixing bowl. They should be soft enough to mash with a fork, leaving some small lumps for texture. Perfectly smooth puree is unnecessary. Those little pockets of banana will become sweet, jammy spots in the finished bread. You want about 1 1/2 cups of mashed fruit.

5. 5

   Mix the wet ingredients

   Add the brown sugar to the mashed bananas and stir until combined. Pour in the cooled brown butter, scraping every last brown bit from the bowl. Those flecks are flavor. Add the egg and vanilla, stirring until the mixture looks uniform and slightly glossy.

6. 6

   Combine dry ingredients

   In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Whisking distributes the leavening evenly, which matters more than you might think. Uneven baking soda means some bites taste soapy while others stay flat.

7. 7

   Fold together gently

   Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two additions, folding with a spatula until just combined. Stop when you no longer see dry streaks. The batter will be thick and lumpy. This is correct. Overmixing develops gluten, which toughens quick breads. Fold in the toasted walnuts, reserving a small handful for the top.

   A few visible flour streaks are better than an overmixed batter. The last bits will hydrate as the bread bakes.
8. 8

   Fill the pan

   Scrape the batter into your prepared pan, smoothing the top gently with the spatula. Scatter the reserved walnuts over the surface, pressing them lightly so they adhere. They will toast further as the bread bakes, becoming almost candied at the edges.

9. 9

   Bake low and slow

   Bake for 55 to 65 minutes. The bread is done when deeply golden on top, pulling away slightly from the pan sides, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Not wet batter, but not bone dry. The top should feel firm when pressed gently. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the final 15 minutes.

10. 10

    Cool completely

    Let the bread rest in the pan for 15 minutes. The structure is setting during this time. Use the parchment overhang to lift the loaf onto a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing, at least 1 hour. I know this is difficult. The crumb needs time to firm, and the flavors deepen as the bread rests. A warm loaf crumbles; a cooled loaf slices cleanly.

    If you absolutely cannot wait, use a serrated knife and accept that the first slice will be imperfect. Sometimes that is the best slice anyway.

Chef Tips

• •The bananas matter most. Look for fruit so ripe you would hesitate to eat it plain: heavily spotted, soft to the touch, deeply fragrant. Freeze overripe bananas in their peels and thaw when you are ready to bake. The freezing concentrates their sweetness.
• •Seek out stone-ground flour from a mill you trust. The difference in flavor is real. Conventional all-purpose flour works, but whole grain flours from small mills have character that industrial flour lacks.
• •Brown butter can be made days ahead and refrigerated. It solidifies but softens quickly at room temperature. The flavor actually improves with time.
• •This bread keeps beautifully. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for 3 days, or slice and freeze for up to 2 months. Toast frozen slices directly; they crisp at the edges and warm through.

Advance Preparation

• •Brown butter can be made up to 1 week ahead and stored refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before using.
• •Walnuts can be toasted up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
• •The finished bread improves overnight as flavors meld. Bake a day before you plan to serve for the best texture.
• •Sliced bread freezes well for up to 2 months. Toast directly from frozen for a quick breakfast.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 80g)