Ultimate Banana Bread - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 large bananas (very ripe)
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 large eggs
3/4 cup light-brown sugar (packed)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup walnuts (optional)

Preparation

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.
Adjust rack to middle. Spray Loaf pan with non-stick spray.
Whisk flour, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl.
Place five bananas in a extra large glass or other microwave safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap and cut several steam vents in plastic with a paring knife. (NOTE: Use the biggest bowl you have the first time I did this the juice went all over my microwave, even though I had plastic wrap on my bowl.) Microwave on High until the bananas are soft and have released liquid, just about 5 minutes *may be less depending on your microwave wattage*. Transfer bananas to a fine mesh drainer placed over a medium pot and allow to drain stirring and mashing the bananas occassionally, 15 minutes (you should end up with around 1/2 to 3/4 cup of liquid).
Cook the liquid in the pot over medium-high heat till reduced to about 1/4 cup, takes about 5 minutes. Remove the pot from heat , stir reduced liquid into the bananas and mash with a potato masher until fairly smooth. Whisk in the eggs and butter, brown sugar and vanilla.
Pour the banana mixture into flour mixture and stir until just combined with some streaks of flour remaining. You don't want to \"over-mix\" or it will make it tough. Gently fold in walnuts (optional).
Scrape batter into prepared pan. Slice remaining banana onto top (like shingles on a roof) layered leaving a 1 1/2 inch space in the very middle. Sprinkle granulated sugar evenly over loaf.
Bake at 350 degrees for 50 - 60 minutes.