Yeast-raised Banana Bread

To my palate, it tastes like what quickbread versions wish they could be--sweet and banana and a hint of spice, tasty enough plain, but not nearly as rich or heavy as the usual supersweet and often oily version.

Whisk or sift together

400 grams hard wheat*, milled fine with
   1/2 teaspoon mace pieces
   1/2 teaspoon cinnamon bits
   2 inches of vanilla pod, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1/4 cup powdered buttermilk**

2 ripe bananas
1 tablespoon honey
1 egg

Mash the bananas, honey, egg, buttermilk, and add water to total 2 cups

Mix sifted flour mixture in food processor (regular blade) with liquids. It will be very soft and wet, not properly kneadable. Stir in

1 tablespoon of cold butter, cut into bits

And when well mixed, stir in

1/3-1/2 cup toasted walnuts, in large pieces

Let it rise until at least doubled in bulk; stir down and scrape into an oiled or buttered loaf pan, or divide into 6 large muffin pans, oiled or buttered

Bake 350 50 minutes, to 205 degrees internal temperature, for a loaf, or 400 degrees for 25 minutes for large muffins

*If not milling your own flours, use

2 2/3 cups bread flour plus
1/2 teaspoon ground mace
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

and add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to liquid ingredients before kneading into the flour

**Use 1 cup buttermilk in place of the buttermilk powder, and stir it into the flour

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