Yeasted Banana Sandwich Bread

1 cup lukewarm milk
3 cups unbleached bread flour (or all-purpose flour, with 1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten)
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons honey
1 medium-sized banana, cut into chunks, about 3/4 cup

In a large mixing bowl, or in the bowl of an electric mixer, combine all the ingredients, mixing to form a shaggy dough.  Knead the dough, by hand (10 minutes) or by mixer (5 minutes), until it is smooth, adding additional flour as necessary; the finished dough should be soft and supple.  Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, and allow to rest and rise for 1 hour.

Alternatively, place all ingredients in the pan of a bread machine and run the dough cycle, adding additional flour as necessary. 

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and shape into a log.  Place the dough in a lightly greased 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan.  Cover the pan with lightly greased plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until it is full and rounded.

Bake the bread in a 350°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 190°F.  If the bread appears to be browning too quickly, tent it with aluminum foil for the final 10 minutes of baking.


From King Arthur Flour website