No more rotten or black bananas after a few days: This method keeps them fresh for 2 years.
Who hasn’t experienced this: You buy a large batch of bananas, and most of them turn brown before you can eat them? But there’s good news! Bananas can be stored and used long after they’ve turned brown or black.
How to Choose the Best Bananas for Baking
When baking, look for bananas with lots of brown spots and a strong sweet smell. These are signs of ripeness. The browner or even blacker the outside, the more delicious they will be in your recipes.
Storing Ripe Bananas
If you have ripe bananas but aren’t ready to bake them, freeze them! This way, you’ll always have ripe bananas on hand.
Ripening bananas quickly:
If you want to ripen bananas quickly, place them in a warm place or in a paper bag. This will speed up the ripening process.
Why bake with ripe bananas?
Ripe bananas are sweeter and easier to mash because they convert starch into sugar as they ripen. This enhances the flavor of your desserts and avoids the rubbery texture often found in unripe bananas.
When are bananas overripe?
Bananas may be overripe if:
They show signs of mold.
They have an unpleasant or fermented odor.
They are dark inside or leaky.
If you notice these signs, it’s best to throw them away.
Creative ideas for using ripe bananas
If your bananas are still good, here are a few ideas:
Banana bread: A classic!
Banana Foster Coffee Cake: For a special treat.
Smoothies: Blend them into your favorite smoothies.
Hummingbird Bundt Cake: A simple and delicious option.
Keep in mind that these overripe bananas aren’t suitable for recipes where you want clean banana slices, like banana pudding. Happy cooking!
