Brown Butter Banana Bread

1. Brown the butter in a small pan over a medium heat, swirling often, until it smells nutty and turns golden with brown flecks, about 4 to 5 minutes. Pour it into a large bowl and leave to cool for a few minutes.
2. Mash the bananas thoroughly, then whisk them into the butter with the brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth.
3. In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
4. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet just until no streaks of flour remain, taking care not to overmix.
5. Pour into a lined 900g (2lb) loaf tin and bake at 175C (350F) for 50 to 60 minutes, until a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean.
6. Let it cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen

• Reach for very ripe, heavily freckled bananas; they are sweeter and mash to a smoother pulp.
• Keep a close eye on the butter as it browns, since it tips from nutty gold to burnt in moments.
• Stop stirring the instant the flour vanishes, as overmixing toughens the crumb.
• It cuts best the next day, once the loaf has had time to settle.