Recipe: Tropical Fruit Bread

Here we are in the Dead Zone for fresh fruit. The citrus season is largely over, except for lemons and limes, of course, and we won't be getting local strawberries for a while yet. Instead of settling for summer fruits shipped from faraway lands, or apples stored since last fall, turn your attention instead to products from the tropics. This recipe is a riff on traditional banana bread, with the fiber and nutrition amped up via coconut, pineapple, Brazil nuts, and key lime.

If you wish, substitute another fruit for the dried pineapple, or use fresh or canned pineapple. In the latter case, no rehydration is necessary.

Tropical Fruit Bread

Makes one loaf

1/4 cup Brazil nuts
1/4 cup dried diced pineapple
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon flaked sweetened coconut
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh  key lime juice (about 3 limes)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Toast the Brazil nuts in a dry pan over high heat, transfer to a metal bowl to cool, and chop into dice.
Pour a little boiling water over the pineapple bits, allow to rehydrate for 10-15 minutes, then strain, reserving the liquid and pineapple separately.

In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, buttermilk, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut, Brazil nuts and pineapple. If the batter seems too stiff, add a little of the pineapple soaking water. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon coconut.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Combine powdered sugar and key lime juice, stirring with a whisk; drizzle over warm bread. Cool completely before slicing.