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In the Oven: Crunchy Peanut Butter Banana Bread and Homemade Peanut Butter

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Nine recipes to go in Baked Elements! Sticking with bananas once more, next we’re baking a peanut butter-spiked banana bread. You can make the peanut butter from the book, or use store-bought; go creamy instead of crunchy; or up your game and add even more peanuts. Posting date is August 31!

Crunchy Peanut Butter Banana Bread
Yield: One 9-by-5-inch loaf

1 1⁄2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 rounded cup mashed bananas (2 1⁄2 to 3 bananas)
1⁄2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1⁄4 cup whole milk
1 cup crunchy peanut butter (see page 26)
4 ounces (about 2⁄3 cup) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and position the rack in the center. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, dust it with flour, and knock out the excess flour.

In a large bowl, whisk together 11⁄2 cups flour, the sugar, salt, and baking soda.

In another large bowl, whisk together the bananas, oil, eggs, milk, and peanut butter. Toss the chocolate chips in the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour, then stir the chocolate chips into the banana mixture.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet mixture into it. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ever so gently until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Let the loaf cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

The loaf can be stored at room temperature, in an airtight container or wrapped tightly, for up to 3 days.

In the Oven: Chocolate-Chip Orange Panettone

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‘Tis the season… any other bakers have a Renato-like panettone obsession? Or does it bewilder you like it does Matt? Posting date is December 22!

Chocolate-Chip Orange Panettone
Yield: One 6-inch panettone, 4 inches tall

1 panettone paper mold (see “Breaking the Mold,” page 183)
3 cups bread flour, divided
1 packet active dry yeast (2 1⁄4 teaspoons)
1⁄2 cup lukewarm whole milk (100 to 110 degrees F)
1⁄4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder (like Valrhona)
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 cup sugar
3 large eggs, plus 2 large egg yolks
Zest of 2 oranges (about 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
5 ounces (11⁄4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes
6 ounces (about 1 cup) semisweet chocolate chips
1⁄2 cup Homemade Candied Orange Peel, diced (page 182)

Lightly spray a 6-inch-round-by-4-inch-tall panettone paper mold with vegetable oil (preferably canola) and place on a baking sheet.

In a small bowl, stir together 1 cup of flour and the yeast. Add the milk and stir to combine. Turn the mixture out into a clean, lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside until the dough doubles in bulk, about 1 hour.

Sift the remaining flour, the cocoa powder, and the salt into the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Stir in the sugar. Add the dough and mix on low speed until the mixture is shaggy.

Add the eggs, egg yolks, zest, and vanilla bean paste and mix again until the dough comes together and has a distinct shiny appearance, 4 to 5 minutes (the amount of time needed can change depending on humidity and temperature).

Switch from the paddle attachment to the dough hook attachment. Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the butter in three additions, mixing until each addition is thoroughly incorporated. Continue mixing the dough until it is elastic and smooth, 10 to 15 minutes.

Add the chocolate chips and orange peel and mix for a few more seconds. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it by hand until the chocolate chips and orange peel are evenly incorporated. Pat the dough into a small (5- by 5- inch), thick square and tuck all four corners underneath to form a tight dome shape. Place the dough, dome side up, into the prepared mold, cover with a damp tea towel, and allow to rise in a dry place at room temperature for at least 2 hours, or until it has doubled in bulk. (It should not rise beyond the top of the panettone mold at this point; at most it should reach right up to the lip.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and position the rack in the center.

Bake the panettone for 50 to 70 minutes until the inside center temperature of the bread registers 175 to 180 degrees F on an instant read thermometer. If the top of the bread darkens before it is cooked all the way through, tent it with aluminum foil until it is finished baking.

Place the panettone on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. It can be stored at room temperature, tightly covered, for up to 5 days.

Excerpted from Baked Elements: Our 10 Favorite Ingredients by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copyright © 2012 by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Excerpted by permission of Stewart, Tabori & Chang, an imprint of Abrams. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

In the Oven: Honey Banana Poppy Seed Bread

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Posting date for is March 3rd.

HONEY BANANA POPPY SEED BREAD

Yield: One 9-by-5-inch loaf

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup honey
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Baked Note: The poppy seeds aren’t essential to this recipe, but we think they provide a pleasant textural contrast. The bread base itself is completely malleable, so feel free to swap out the poppies with either a 1/2 cup of toasted chopped walnuts (for a more traditional loaf) or a 1/2 cup of chocolate chips (a Baked favorite).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and position the rack in the center. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, dust it with flour, and knock out the excess flour.

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

In another large bowl, whisk together the bananas, vegetable oil, milk, honey, and eggs.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into it. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ever so gently until just combined. Stir in the poppy seeds.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Let the loaf cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. The loaf will keep at room temperature, tightly covered, for up to 3 days.

Excerpted from Baked Elements: Our 10 Favorite Ingredients by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copyright © 2012 by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Excerpted by permission of Stewart, Tabori & Chang, an imprint of Abrams. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

In the Oven : Cheesy Focaccia with Caramelized Onions and Sautéed Spinach

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Taking a break from the desserts this week to bake a savory Focaccia. Posting date is February 3rd.

Cheesy Focaccia with Caramelized Onions and Sautéed Spinach

Yield: One extra-large focaccia (about 12 servings)

For the Focaccia Dough
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
2 1/4 cup bread flour
2 3/4 teaspoon instant dry yeast
2 3/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups lukewarm water (100 to 110 degrees F)
1/3 cup good-quality olive oil, plus more for oiling
Cornmeal for dusting

For the Topping
1/4 cup good-quality olive oil, divided, plus more for brushing
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
3 1/2 cups loosely packed baby spinach
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Dried oregano, to taste
2 cups shredded whole-milk mozzarella or other cheese of your choosing
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano or other hard cheese of your
choosing, plus more for sprinkling
Red pepper flakes, to taste

Make the Focaccia Dough

Place the flours, yeast, and salt in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on low speed until combined. Add thewater and 1/3 cup of the olive oil and mix on low speed until the dough just begins to come together. Turn off the mixer, switch to the dough hook attachment, and mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth and starts to release from the sides of the bowl (it is okay if the dough still sticks to the bottom of the mixing bowl). If the dough feels too wet and is not releasing, add additional all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the dough releases.

Dust a work surface with a sprinkling of flour and stretch the dough into a long rectangle (about 9 inches by 20 inches). Fold each side of the dough onto itself creating a letterfold. Tuck the dough into a makeshift ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm-ish place (at least 72 degrees F) for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the dough and repeat this process (stretching the dough into a rectangle, letterfolding, tucking into a ball shape, and placing in covered bowl). Wait another 30 minutes and repeat this process a third time.

Lightly spray a 13-by-18-inch light-colored metal half-sheet pan or two 9-by13-inch glass or light-colored metal baking pans with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Use your fingers to smear a little olive oil (no more than a tablespoon) evenly across the parchment and sprinkle with an even dusting of cornmeal.

Transfer the dough to the prepared pan(s) and stretch into a rectangle inside the pan (do not attempt to stretch the dough into corners of the pan just yet). Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rest (still at room temperature) for about 20 minutes. Uncover and stretch the dough into the corners of the pan. (If the dough feels resistant to stretching into the pan corners at this time, cover with plastic wrap and wait 10 more minutes.)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and position the rack in the center. Place a baking pan filled with water on the rack below where you will be baking the focaccia. The steam from the pan will give the crust a nice crunchy exterior while keeping the interior moist and chewy.

Make the Topping
In a medium skillet or sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and sauté for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent. Remove the onion from the pan and set aside. Add the spinach to the sauté pan, cover, and cook until the spinach is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside until cool. Squeeze the spinach dry and set it aside

Poke the dough. If your finger leaves an indentation, it is ready; if it doesn’t leave an indentation, wait an additional 5 minutes and test again. Toss the rosemary with the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Brush the rosemary oil all over the top of the dough. Sprinkle with thyme, salt, pepper, and oregano.

Place the focaccia in the oven, one rack above the pan filled with (now boiling) water, and bake the focaccia for 10 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, or until dough starts to brown on top. Once the dough has browned, remove the pan from the oven and, leaving a small border of crust, top the dough with the onion, spinach, cheeses, and red pepper flakes. Place the focaccia back in the oven and bake until the cheese is bubbly and browned.

Remove from the oven, sprinkle with more Pecorino Romano and salt to taste, and brush the edges with a little bit more olive oil. Serve immediately.

Focaccia tastes best directly from the oven, though leftover focaccia can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 275 degrees F oven for about 10 minutes or until warm to the touch before serving.

Excerpted from Baked Elements: Our 10 Favorite Ingredients by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copyright © 2012 by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Excerpted by permission of Stewart, Tabori & Chang, an imprint of Abrams. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.