Pearnana Bread
Chef Mark Muszynski
Joliet Junior College
Joliet, IL
On social media feeds, banana bread is a shelter-in-place favorite among home bakers everywhere. Chef Mark Muszynski differentiates his recipe with the addition of drained, canned pears—a pantry staple in many households. Try it next time you have overripe bananas on hand and are looking for a new twist on a popular quick bread.
Ingredients
1¼ lb. ripe bananas, peeled
1¼ lb. granulated sugar
6 eggs
6 oz. vegetable oil
4 oz. buttermilk
4 oz. sour cream
2 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
1¼ lb. bread flour
1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. salt
6 canned pear halves in extra-light syrup, drained and thinly sliced
Steps
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease two 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pans.
2. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place bananas; mix on medium-low speed until they are smooth. Add sugar, eggs, oil, buttermilk, sour cream and vanilla; continue to mix until well combined.
3. In small bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl; add flour mixture all at once. Mix on low speed until flour is fully incorporated, about 30 seconds.
4. Divide batter between prepared loaf pans. Shingle pear halves on top of batter and place pans in middle of the oven. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 65 to 75 minutes.
5. Cool loaves in pans on wire rack for 15 minutes; inverting loaves onto rack and cool completely. To serve, slice each loaf into 12 pieces.
Photograph courtesy of Pacific Northwest Canned Pears