Banana Bread

ChefSteps' development chef Nick Gavin is a big fan of banana bread. "Everyone has his or her own interpretation of what makes the best banana bread, and I wanted to create a new approach altogether," he says. This recipe has a lighter texture than most we're used to, but it's bursting with an incredible amount of pure banana flavor.

One technique that Nick is particularly excited to share: "Instead of folding in whole bananas, I fold in freeze-dried bananas, along with pressure-cooked caramelized ones. This helps eliminate gummy spots in the bread and adds a fun, toothsome texture that imparts even more banana flavor into the recipe." The bits of freeze-dried bananas have a firm bite that almost mimic the mouthfeel of nuts in the bread, but the sweet, complex caramelized banana flavor is enough to satisfy, no nuts needed. Of course, you may want to add nuts anyway. To which we say: It's your bread!