brown butter strawberry banana bread

We made our first visit of the season to Herrles this morning.  I was thrilled to find local strawberries available.  I had 3 sad looking bananas at home and had plans for making this bread when Jesse and I returned home.    

Now, don't be scared off when you read brown butter.  This is something that you can do.  Read the directions below and just don't walk off when your browning is crackling and bubbling.  You do not want burnt butter.  I hope you'll give this one a try.  Homemade treats are the best!

Brown Butter Strawberry Banana Bread - adapted from Joy the Baker
makes 1 loaf

6 ounces unsalted butter, melted and browned to just over 1/2 cup of butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup plain yogurt (any fat content) or buttermilk

1 1/4 cup mashed banana (from about 3 medium bananas)

3/4 cup diced strawberries plus 1 strawberry very thinly sliced, for topping

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan and set aside.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Butter will begin to foam and crackle as it melts.  When the crackling subsides, the butter will begin to brown.  Swirl the pan and the butter cooks.  When the butter brown and begins to smell nutty, remove the pan from the heat and transfer the butter to a small bowl.  Taking the butter out of the hot saucepan will stop the butter from overcooking and burning.  Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla extract, and yogurt or buttermilk.  Whisk in the mashed bananas.  When butter has cooled, whisk in the browned butter.

Add the wet ingredients, all at once to the dry ingredients.  Fold together, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to reveal any hidden pockets of flour.  Fold in the diced strawberries.  Fold together ingredients, but try not to overstir.

Spoon batter into prepared pan and top with thinly sliced strawberries.   Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and allow to rest in the pan for 15 minutes, before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.