If you are looking for the perfect banana bread recipe, you need to first start with the basics. If you have not already done so, invest in a simple cookbook that has all the basic recipes, as well as some general tips such as how to fold eggs properly. You want to start with a basic banana bread recipe. And then you are going to make it your own.
There is not a whole lot of difference between basic banana bread recipes. They will all pretty much call for flour, sugar (regular or brown), eggs, butter, salt, baking soda and, you guessed it, bananas. They may differ slightly in the amounts of each ingredient. I like moist baked goods, so I will choose a variation that has greater quantities of moist ingredients, for example, a recipe that calls for more eggs.
You should also use the best quality ingredients you can find. Use only organic, unrefined sugar and actual butter rather than margarine. The right ripeness of bananas is key, and this can take a little experience to determine. But you will want bananas that are overripe for eating, with very brown peels.
Try the basic recipe out as is so you can be sure you like it, as well as be familiar with the flavor and consistency. Once you have found a recipe you know you like, you get to play. Just think about what sounds like a good addition to you, and then look for another recipe for any bread that has that ingredient so you know how much to use.
Here is an example. I think chocolate chips would be an awesome addition to a banana bread. So, I go to find a recipe for a bread that uses chocolate chips. Check the amount the recipe is supposed to make and be sure it matches what you have for the banana bread. If the apple chocolate chip bread calls for 1 cup of chips, that is a good place to start for your banana bread.
But maybe you want to add walnuts too. Okay, no problem. You are just going to need to reduce the amount of chips a bit in proportion to the amount of nuts you want to add. A common mistake when baking is to alter the recipe so that the amount of batter to add-ins changes. Then the consistency of the product is going to change as well. Usually, not for the better.
But you might be thinking that, while walnuts are good in banana bread, so are pecans. I like the sound of that, too. So you just need to adjust the recipe again. If you were using one cup of walnuts, now try a half cup of walnuts and a half cup of pecans. Or really experiment and try a third cup each of almonds, pecans and walnuts.
You will probably find that after a bit of experimenting, you hit on a recipe that your friends and family will not let you change. The next thing you know, they are asking for Sallys banana bread recipe. And you have created your own family tradition.
Ben Cook tells you how to make banana bread at home and gives you lots of delicious banana bread recipes on his banana bread recipe website.
