Photo Credit: Simply Recipes
This timeless banana bread recipe is only enhanced by the humble flavor of pu-erh tea steeped in milk. So, what's the difference between the pu-erh banana bread and regular banana bread? Pu-erh is a type of fermented black tea, typically from the Yunnan Province in China. It's known for its health benefits; pu-erh may boost liver health and is beneficial to blood cleansing and digestion. If you’re a banana bread lover, try this one out to change up the pace a bit. This homemade pu-erh banana bread is perfect for breakfast, snacks, and bringing to share at the next family get together. Enjoy!
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Pu-erh Banana Bread
Makes 8 servings // Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes // Active time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter or coconut oil
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 3 large very ripe bananas
- 1/4 cup milk or milk alternative
- 4 tsp loose leaf or 4 sachets/bags pu-erh. We recommend using MaraBette & Co's Dessert Anyone.
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
How to make Pu-erh Banana Bread
Preheat oven to 350°F and butter loaf pan (a 9 x 5 inch pan works well) and line with parchment paper so it overhangs by 2-3 inches, then grease the parchment and set aside for now.
Sift dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
Make milk tea by heating the milk in a double boiler on medium-low until it is hot to the touch. Alternatively, you can heat it up in the microwave on half power for 30 seconds at a time until it's hot to the touch. Once the milk is warmed up, add in the tea and let steep for 5 minutes, or until desired flavor. Remove (strain) tea and set aside to cool further.
Mash the bananas to how you'd like them (smooth = smooth bread, chunky = banana chunks in bread). Then using a hand mixer, cream the butter (or coconut oil) and sugar about 3 minutes. When fluffy, add in the eggs until completely mixed. Then add in the milk tea and vanilla, and lastly the mashed bananas and mix completely.
Next, setting aside the hand mixer, add in the flour/baking soda/salt mixture to the wet ingredients and fold in. Add in the chopped walnuts and mix well. Then pour the batter into the pan and bake for about 65 minutes, or until the top is slightly brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. If the top is browning too quickly, cover with foil to avoid an overdone top!
Once baked, let cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. You can enjoy this simple banana bread recipe immediately but it also keeps well in the refrigerator up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months! Yum!
Next, we recommend making these scrumptious Vegan Donuts to enjoy with your morning cup of tea!
Recipe adapted from Delish
Try these pu-erh teas from our curated Tea Shop to make your own tea-infused banana bread!
Interested in trying these teas and others? Subscribers receive 4 teas chosen just for them in every box. Learn more about our tea subscription service.
About Sips by: We’re a female-founded and led startup that makes discovering tea fun, personalized, and affordable. The Sips by Box is the only multi-brand, personalized tea subscription box. Each month, we match tea drinkers across the U.S. with delicious teas from over 150 global tea brands that we’re sure they’ll love. Based out of Austin, Texas, we are adept at savoring a hot mug even when it’s seasonally inappropriate.
