Banana bread gets kicked up a level with the addition of pears, pecans and maple syrup. Although already plenty moist and sweet, a drizzle of maple syrup over the slices is a terrific touch.

Pear And Maple Syrup Banana Bread

Ingredients:

100g/3.5oz unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
3 (about 250g/9oz) very ripe bananas
100g/1/2 cup golden caster sugar
2 ripe but still firm comice pears, cored and chopped, dusted in a little flour
1 Tbs maple syrup, plus extra to serve
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
150g/1 1/3 cups flour
½ tsp baking soda
50g/20z pecans, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease and line a 9 x 5 inch loaf tin with parchment paper so it overhangs the short edges of the tin.

2. Mash the bananas in a large bowl, then stir in the melted butter and sugar until well combined.

3. Stir in the pears, maple syrup and vanilla, then beat in the egg.

4. Sift the flour and baking soda into a small bowl. Gently fold flour mixture, along with the pecans, into the banana batter.

5. Pour mixture into the prepared loaf tin. Bake for 45 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

6. Allow bread to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then lift out onto a wire rack. Drizzle with extra maple syrup to serve.

Serves 8

Recipe from Delicious Magazine

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Cheers!