Banana and pear bread

Ingredients 

1 cup (115 grams) walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
4 medium-sized ripe bananas, mashed
1 pear, peeled and coarsly grated
2 large free-range eggs, beaten
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated brown sugar
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups (250 grams) self raising flour, sifted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
pinch of salt

Icing sugar to serve (optional)

How to prepare

1) Preheat oven to 150°C(300 F) and toast walnuts on a tray for 5-10 minutes or until fragrant. Once cooled, coarsly chop and set aside.

2) Preheat oven to 175°C(350 F). Grease and line a rectangular loaf tin (approx. 12 x 40cm).

3) In a bowl mash bananas with a fork or potato masher, add grated pear and mix to combine.

4) Using an electric hand-held mixer (medium setting), beat the eggs, sugar and butter until pale and creamy (approx. 5-7 minutes).

5) Stir in the mashed bananas and pear and sieve in the flour and other dry ingredients.

6) Once well mixed, tip into the loaf tin and bake for 40-45 minutes.

7) Remove to a wire wrack and cool in the tin for 20-30 minutes. Remove from the tin onto the rack and finish cooling completely before slicing.

8) Serve toasted with a sprinkling of icing and knob of butter.

Tips

- Replace walnuts with pecans and pear with apple or carrot.
- Freezes well for up to three months.