Pan de Plátano Macho Sotaventino

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9 by 5 inch metal loaf pan
• •Sheet pan for roasting plantains
• •Small saucepan or clay cazuelita for piloncillo syrup
• •Dry comal or heavy skillet for toasting pecans
• •Two mixing bowls and a wooden spoon or rubber spatula

Instructions

1. 1

   Roast the plantains

   Heat the oven to 375F. Set the unpeeled plátanos macho on a sheet pan and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until the skins split and the flesh feels soft when pressed with tongs. Let them cool just enough to handle, then peel and mash the flesh until mostly smooth. Green plantain is for frying, not for this bread. If the peel is not mostly black, wait. The fruit decides the schedule.

2. 2

   Make piloncillo syrup

   While the plantains roast, combine the piloncillo, water, and canela stick in a small saucepan or clay cazuelita. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring, until the piloncillo dissolves and the syrup thickens slightly, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the canela stick and let the syrup cool until warm, not hot. Dry chunks of piloncillo leave bitter pockets in the loaf. Syrup gives you even sweetness and that cane-sugar depth from the Veracruz cañaverales.

3. 3

   Toast the pecans

   Lower the oven to 350F. Spread the nuez pecana on a dry comal or skillet over medium heat and toast for 4 to 5 minutes, shaking the pan, until the nuts smell rich and their edges darken a little. Cool, chop coarsely, and reserve 2 tablespoons for the top. Raw nuts go dull in a moist batter. Toast them so they earn their place.

4. 4

   Prepare the pan

   Grease a 9 by 5 inch metal loaf pan with fresh manteca de cerdo and line the bottom with parchment. Metal browns the edges better than glass. A thin film of lard keeps the crust tender and gives the loaf the panadería texture. La manteca es el sabor, even in sweet bread.

5. 5

   Mix dry ingredients

   In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground canela, and pimienta gorda. Whisk longer than you think you need, about 30 seconds. Chemical leavening must be evenly spread through the flour or you get tunnels and bitter spots. This is quick bread, not yeast bread, so the lift has one chance.

6. 6

   Build wet batter

   In a second bowl, whisk the eggs, cooled piloncillo syrup, melted lard, leche evaporada, vanilla, and orange zest until glossy. Stir in the mashed roasted plantain. The mixture will look thick and a little rough. Good. Plátano macho is starchier than banana, and that body is what makes this Sotavento loaf slice clean instead of collapsing.

7. 7

   Fold and fill

   Pour the wet mixture into the dry bowl and fold with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until only a few flour streaks remain. Fold in the chopped pecans, saving the reserved 2 tablespoons for the top. Do not beat the batter. Beating wakes the gluten and turns a tender loaf into a brick. No me vengas con atajos.

8. 8

   Bake the loaf

   Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Scatter the reserved pecans over it. Bake at 350F for 55 to 65 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown, the center springs back lightly, and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs, not wet batter. If the top darkens before the center sets, cover it loosely with foil after 45 minutes.

9. 9

   Cool and slice

   Let the loaf rest in the pan for 20 minutes, then lift it out and cool on a rack for at least 45 minutes before slicing. Cut too early and you compress the crumb you worked for. Serve thick slices with café lechero, or wrap the loaf overnight. It is better the next morning. Recetas probadas y garantizadas.

Chef Tips

• •The plátano macho must be black-skinned and soft. Yellow is not enough. If the market only has green plantains, buy them and wait three to five days. If the fruit is wrong, the bread is wrong.
• •Use piloncillo oscuro or panela, not plain white sugar. Brown sugar will work in an emergency, but it is a compromise, not an upgrade. You lose the cane depth that belongs to this region.
• •Fresh manteca de cerdo should smell clean and faintly sweet. If it smells old, don't use it. Vegetable oil gives a softer crumb but a flat flavor. Butter works, but the panadería texture changes.
• •Nuez pecana is not the geography of this bread. The plantain, cane, and vanilla are. The pecans are the bakery pantry note, often bought by weight at the mercado, and they must be toasted.
• •Do not add chile because you think Mexican food needs chile. This loaf should taste of roasted plantain, piloncillo, canela, vanilla, and nut. Not all Mexican food is spicy. Así se hace y punto.

Advance Preparation

• •The plantains can be roasted, peeled, mashed, and refrigerated up to 2 days ahead. Bring them to room temperature before mixing the batter.
• •The piloncillo syrup can be made up to 1 week ahead and refrigerated. Warm it gently until loose before using.
• •The baked loaf keeps wrapped at room temperature for 3 days. It slices cleaner the day after baking, which makes it good weeknight food if you plan like a grown person.
• •Slices freeze well for up to 2 months. Wrap each slice tightly, then warm on a comal or in a low oven before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 125g)