What is banana bread?
Banana bread is a sweet and sweet spread widely spread all over the world. Otherwise, this sweet pastry may be called a banana muffin or a banana pie.
Naturally, the main ingredient for this product is ripe bananas.
The most popular banana bread received in the United States of America and Australia, which happened in a number of different historical events.
One of these events was the invention of this product in the United States.
Nobody knows the exact date, but most likely people have been using this sweet delicacy since the end of the 18th century.
Have you ever tried banana bread?
In vain, you lose a lot. That’s because this delicacy is not very high-calorie, contains various vitamins, like bananas, and also very tasty.
Before moving on to the very issue of storing banana bread, let’s still figure out what ingredients are needed to prepare it.
Making banana bread is quite simple, for this you do not need to over expensive ingredients and be a professional chef.
It is clear that the most important ingredients, without which the preparation of this dish may not be finished, are bananas.
They should be quite ripe and sweet, otherwise the taste will not be what it should be.
In addition, not just ripe, yellow bananas are perfect, but those that are already too ripe and have a little bit black or brown color.
Nobody usually buys such bananas anymore, but in our case they are just perfect.
Such bananas can give an excellent sweet taste to our bread. Bananas will need to be kneaded to make the taste even.
In addition to bananas, you will need such ingredients as:
- sugar;
- flour;
- milk (you can add soy if you have lactose intolerance);
- eggs;
- baking powder;
- butter
Of course, if desired, you can add other ingredients to the dough, nuts, peanuts, candied fruits, anything you like will make banana bread even more delicious.
Storing bananas for bread
You might be surprised to find out that there are several ways to turn almost green bananas into ripe or even too ripe bananas.
These methods differ in the amount of time it will take to ripen a banana, but in any case, it will happen many times faster if you just leave them in a basket in the sun.
The first way to ripe bananas. To do this, you will need to put bananas in a paper bag. Ask why?
Everything is simple. Bananas secrete a special enzyme called ethylene.
This enzyme causes the ripening of bananas, and putting them in a paper bag, you will increase its concentration at times, which will help our bananas ripen faster.
In addition to all this, you can put other fruits in the bag! Yes, not only bananas secrete this enzyme.
An excellent choice would be apples or apricots.
A great option is to cut the ripe banana or fruit, so that it emits even more ethylene and the bananas ripen even faster.
The ideal temperature for ripening bananas is 18-20 degrees Celsius, which is about 66 degrees Fahrenheit.
This is the usual room temperature in almost any home.
In addition, you can put bananas in a bag on the refrigerator or leave them next to the stove. What for?
So bananas ripen much faster, but it will be uneven ripening. In our case, it fits almost perfectly, because we will still mash bananas before making bread.
How long does banana bread last?
Let’s say our banana delicacy is ready, now let’s move on to the main issue.
How much, our banana bread will be edible.
Unfortunately, the answer to this question cannot be unequivocal.
Of course, the method chosen for storing banana bread, its quantity and other indicators also has a huge impact.
But, on average, banana bread will remain fairly fresh and soft for four to five days from the time it is cooked, if stored properly enough.
After that, you will begin to notice that the bread is becoming drier and tastier, but, nevertheless, it is still edible, only worse in taste.
But, I hasten to please that it’s quite easy to get rid of this effect by putting a piece of bread in the microwave or a toaster, then the previous taste will return to it and the difference will be minimal.
How long to cool banana bread in pan?
To keep the banana bread fresh as long as possible, the first step is to let it cool in the oven.
There is no exact answer to the question, how much time is needed for this. But, I think that any housewife will be able to calculate this time.
You need to get it already when it has cooled down enough and has a temperature slightly above room temperature.
How long to let the bread cool before wrapping?
The process of wrapping banana bread is almost mandatory, no matter what storage method you choose.
Only the way you will turn the bread depends on the method chosen.
Banana bread, in order to be ready for packaging, must be completely cooled.
This means that after you take the bread out of the oven, it has to stand for a while in order to become completely cooled.
Otherwise, moisture will accumulate between the banana bread and the wrapper as it cools.
This is not a good sign, because the bread will be raw and it will not be very tasty to eat.
So be sure to let the bread cool completely before wrapping it.
How to store banana bread?
In fact, there are a huge number of storage methods for banana bread. From uncomplicated to scientifically sound and from stupid to very interesting. Let’s take a closer look at the most interesting banana bread storage methods that mankind has just invented.
The main ways to store banana bread are as follows:
- Storage of banana bread in the refrigerator
- Storing banana bread in the freezer
- Storage of banana bread in a cupboard
In addition to these three methods, there are a lot of others, but over a fairly long period, these three are the most popular.
First method how to keep banana bread fresh
The first and easiest method for storing banana bread is as follows.
Immediately after you take out your banana bread from the oven, you need to cool it at room temperature, then wrap it in something or put in a paper bag.
This is the main condition for the banana bread to remain moist and soft for as long as possible.
After the banana bread is wrapped, you can put it in a cupboard in a dark place, or simply on a table, in another prominent place, so that your family members can profit at any time.
The easiest way, which nonetheless, gives the bread 4-5 days of freshness until it starts to be dry and not very tasty.
It is suitable for those who have a large family and banana bread will fly apart very quickly.
For those who live alone, or family members do not all eat banana bread, the following method seems more appropriate, because when storing bread using the second method, it will remain fresh much longer.
Storing banana bread in the fridge
So, to use the following method of storing banana bread, we need a refrigerator.
Yes, some may be surprised that bread can be stored in the refrigerator, because this place is cool, it can extend the shelf life of bread, but nevertheless, the refrigerator is a very dry place.
What does it mean? In fact, everything is simple, because of the low humidity in the refrigerator, bread can harden very quickly, so in order to store banana bread in the refrigerator, it needs special packaging.
In order to increase the shelf life of banana bread from four days to seven to ten days, the bread must be packed in special plastic packaging.
This is necessary so that the banana bread does not lose moisture in the refrigerator, but stores it inside this package.
Once you get the bread out of the refrigerator, there’s one problem in order to eat it.
He is cold. Cold bread is not the best dish, is it?
Everything is simple, put it in the microwave for 10-30 seconds, after which, after taking out the bread, you will be shocked.
It will be as if only from the oven, warm soft and very tasty.
Can I freeze banana bread?
So, the answer to this question – of course you can.
This is one of those methods that will extend the freshness of banana bread for up to three to four months.
Probably, this method is the most difficult and most useless, because not every person wants to eat delicious banana bread 3-4 months after its preparation, because most often it flies just instantly.
But, in case you have an urgent need to store bread for such a long time, or, then you will not have the opportunity to cook, then this method is simply perfect.
You can cut bread into small, medium or large slices.
If you do not want to – do not.
Banana bread can be frozen and whole and cut into only 2 – 3 parts.
Foil wrapping for bread
When you decide on the form in which the bread will be frozen, it must be wrapped in foil.
Here your choice will tell, the more small slices you made, the more foil will be used up, but you can put them together and wrap them all together.
After all the pieces are wrapped in foil, you need to put them in a special bag with a zipper.
If there is no foil at home, you can freeze bread in a polyethylene film, but it is also necessary to put it in a bag.
It is also worth considering that if you freeze it with slices, then the shelf life may decrease.
It’s simple, this is due to the fact that more of the surface of the banana bread is exposed to the cold.
After all this, the real question is brewing: how then to eat frozen bread?
Naturally, no one will eat frozen bread. There are a huge number of ways to unfreeze it, from the fastest, to those that require a little more time.
The first way is to get the bread and leave it for half an hour or an hour on the table.
During this time, most of the moisture will most likely go away and the bread will defrost, and you don’t even need to remove the wrapper.
If it was cut into slices, it is much easier to defrost and it takes less time.
In case you immediately need to defrost half or a whole piece, be sure to place it on the table for preliminary defrosting.
After that, the banana bread will need to be put in the oven or microwave in order to fully heat, defrost and remove excess moisture.
Some will like bread thawed in a toaster.
How long is homemade banana bread good for
At the end of this article, everyone can say with confidence how much home-made banana bread can hold fresh and tasty.
It all depends on the method chosen, which is used for storage.
After all, not only the recipe, the quality of the products used and the culinary skills decide the taste characteristics of this delicacy.
You need to rely on the time for which the bread will be eaten, when choosing the best way.
After all, now we know that on the table or counter, it will remain fresh for 4-5 days. If you put the banana bread in the refrigerator, it will remain fresh for a whole week, and putting it after that in the microwave, it will become delicious as if only cooked.
Well, if you need to store bread for months, there is only one option – freezing.
So, decide how much time you can eat this sweetness and choose the most suitable method of all.
