Adventures with Bread Machines: Banana and Peanut Butter Bread

Okay, this is the last back-logged bread machine post for now and unfortunately I don't have any pictures. This is the Banana and Peanut Butter Bread from the same book (One Hundred Bread Machine Recipes - Vicki Smallwood) as the last two and the only other one I have tried so far.

I wasn't sure whether to make it in the first place. I had a couple of ripe bananas hanging around and some peanut butter that needed using up and I thought I should find a simple recipe to combine them both. This is a good recipe but I was apprehensive as I was making it. It was a very simple "put-it-all-in-the-pan" type recipe but the smell as it was cooking was somewhat disturbing (a mixture of tea bags and banana skins). I was later informed by a good friend that peanut butter and bananas both smell kind of funky when they're being cooked (but taste pretty good when they're done). I was reassured and let decided to actually taste the finished product.

To be honest, I wasn't too impressed with the bread as it was. I had some while it was still warm and although it was nice, it didn't have a strong banana flavour. The crunchy peanut butter gives it a bit of texture which is really good but the over all flavour was a little disappointing.

This bread really comes into its own when toasted. Oh my gosh it's seriously good. I spread a little butter and honey on my toast for breakfast and it's absolutely delicious. Another good thing about toasting it is that it doesn't matter too much if the bread is a little stale (good for me as I'm the only one eating it).

I don't think I'd make this recipe again but I would like to try another banana bread. It's very important to use very ripe bananas as it gives much more flavour to the final product. Crunchy peanut butter is a delicious addition and makes the whole thing a bit more interesting.

So on with the recipe

Ingredients:
2 bananas
4 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
1 cup warmed milk
2 tbsp melted and cooled butter
2 tbsp caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups white bread flour
1 tsp active dry yeast

Method:
Mash the bananas with the peanut butter and mix together thoroughly.
Add the other ingredients to the baking pan in the order shown only put the banana mixture in after the salt but before the flour.
Set the machine to "Basic" and let the bread bake.
When the cycle has finished, transfer the loaf to a wire rack to cool.