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Banana bread is one of those recipes that will stand the test of time. It seems to always be a crowd favorite and it’s good to serve through any season of the year. We had some fun putting a twist on the classic recipe! This dulce de leche banana bread loaf is super soft, full of caramel-y dulce de leche flavor and topped with buttery macadamia nuts.
You can either choose to make homemade Dulce de Leche sauce with a can of condensed milk, or you can purchase a jar of dulce de leche sauce at the store for this recipe. Either way, you will get a delicious caramel flavored bread.
Looking for more recipes to bake? Check out these yummy recipes!
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Dulce de Leche Banana Bread
What is dulce de leche?
Dulce de leche is a delicous caramel sauce made from milk and sugar. As the milk and sugar are heated, the mixture undergoes something called a Maillard reaction where it browns and caramelizes. And the result is a delicious, creamy butterscotch sauce.
It is amazing in cakes, breads, cookies and even coffee! And the dulce de leche sauce gives banana bread a delicious caramel flavor in each bite.
Dulce de lece vs caramel….
Dulce de leche and caramel have similar in texture and color and even have similar flavor notes but they start with different bases and cooking techniques are different. If you want something quick, caramel sauce is the way to go. If you have more time on your hands, say…3 hours, dulce de leche is the answer.
Caramel sauce is made by cooking sugar and water over high heat for about 10 minutes. The result is a darker buttery sauce that often has a slight bitter taste to it.
Dulce de leche is made by cooking sugar and milk slowwwwly. But this cooking method is where the magic happens. The time is worth the wait because the end result is a delicious creamy, toffee flavored sauce.
How to make homemade dulce de leche sauce for banana bread…
You just need one ingredient to make dulche de leche sauce: condensed milk.
The process of making dulce de leche is slow, but it is super simple. Here’s what you do:
- Start by filling a large pot with water. Make sure that there is enough water to cover the condensed milk can by 1-2 inches.
- Remove the label on the can and place the unopened condensed milk in the water.
- Bring the water to a boil and let it simmer on low for 3 hours.
- While the dulce de leche is cooking, be sure to monitor the water level and refill to make sure the can is covered with water.
- Remove the can with a pair of tongs and let it coolant rom temperature before opening.
- Once cooled, open can and scoop out to use for making dulce de leche banana bread.
- Store leftover sauce in fridge in a glass jar with lid or air-tight container.
Can I use store-bought dulce de leche?
Yes, you can! If you want to save some time, store-bought dulce de leche sauce is the way to go. It may vary in taste to homemade dulce de leche but it will still taste great.
What we love so much about homemade dulce de leche is the rich, deeper caramel flavor you get. Some store-bought sauces don’t have the same flavor strength.
Tips for making the perfect banana bread…
Banana bread is super simple to make, but here are some tips to making sure your banana bread is near perfect every time.
- Grease and line your pan for easy removal. Greasing and lining a pan may seem a little excessive, but this is the easiest way to cleanly remove your bread loaf from the pan without any bits sticking to the side.
- Use very ripe bananas. They will be more flavorful, sweeter in taste and easier to mash.
- Add sour cream for a denser, moist banana bread. Sour cream is the secret weapon ingredient to make banana bread with the perfect texture.
- Do not over mix the batter. Over mixing will give the bread a coarse texture. When you are adding in the flour, make sure to mix until just combined.
- Test doneness with a toothpick. Many times when you are making a loaf bread, the center can come out a bit gooey. To make sure your bread is cooked all the way through, poke the center with a toothpick or fork. If it comes out clean, it’s ready. If some batter comes off on the fork, place it in the oven to cook a bit longer.
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Dulce de leche banana bread
Description
This dulce de leche banana bread loaf is super soft, full of caramel-y dulce de leche flavor and topped with buttery macadamia nuts.
Ingredients
- 1 14 oz can condensed milk
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 4 ripe bananas
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 dulce de leche
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup macadamia nuts, chopped
Instructions
Homemade Dulce de Leche Sauce
(We recommend making dulce de leche the night before.)
- Remove label from condensed milk can and place in pot of lukewarm water. The can should be covered by a couple inches. Heat water over medium heat until it is simmering. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 hours. Monitor the water level and refill when needed to make sure the cans are covered in water. 2 hours will yield a thinner lighter brown sauce.
- Remove from heat and let the cans either: 1. Cool in the water to reach room temperature. 2. Remove from water and let it cool before opening.
- Scoop out the dulce de Leche caramel into a jar and refrigerate until you’re ready to use.
Dulce De leche Banana Bread
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a loaf pan with butter, making sure to butter the corners well. Cut a piece of parchment paper to lay across the bottom of the pan pressing the paper up against the side of the pan. The butter will help it hold. This will help for easy removal at the end.
- In a large bowl, add flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk the dry mixture until all the ingredients are incorporated.
- In a medium size bowl, mash 3 bananas to a smooth consistency, making sure most clumps of banana are removed. (You are saving 1 banana for topping the bread.) Mix in eggs, brown sugar, dulce de Leche sauce, melted butter, milk, and sour cream.
- Mix dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined.
- Pour banana bread batter into the loaf pan. Slice a banana, long ways to and gently press into the top of the batter. Sprinkle batter with chopped macadamia nuts.
- Bake on for 45-50 minutes. Remove the loaf from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes, drizzle with more dulce de leche sauce.
- Enjoy with a hot cup of coffee or tea.
