Preparation 30 minutes
Cooking 1 hour 15 minutes
Makes 1 loaf
Freezes well

 

Ingredients

Crumble

  • ¾ cup (87 g) pecans, lightly toasted and finely chopped
  • ½ cup (40 g) maple sugar
  • ¼ cup (35 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ cup (60 g) unsalted butter, softened

Bread

  • 1 ¼ cups (310 ml) very ripe bananas mashed with a fork (about 3 bananas)
  • ¾ cup (180 ml) maple syrup
  • ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups (280 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt

 

Method

Crumble
 

  1. With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter a six-cup (1.5 litre) 10 x 4-inch (25 x 10 cm) loaf pan and line it with a sheet of parchment paper, letting it hang over both sides.
  2. In a bowl, combine the pecans, maple sugar, flour and cinnamon. Add the butter and mix with your fingertips until the dough is just moistened. Set aside.

Bread

  1. In another bowl, whisk together the bananas, maple syrup, butter and eggs. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. With a wooden spoon or a spatula, stir in the banana mixture until the batter is just moistened.
  3. Spread half the batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with half the crumble. Pour in the remaining batter and sprinkle with the remaining crumble.
  4. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean.
  5. Let cool completely on a wire rack before removing from the pan. Cut into slices.