From Sourdough to Einkorn Banana Bread –- Part 2

We learned how to make basic Sourdough Banana Bread last week. Today, I’ll reveal the method I used to transition from a sourdough banana quick bread made completely with white flour to a sourdough quick bread made completely with Einkorn flour.

 

I wanted to make a banana bread I could call my own using only Einkorn flour. Sometimes, I just start substituting and hope for the best. This time, I decided to take a more thoughtful approach. 

I started with this Sourdough Banana Bread recipe from Cultures for Health.

One of best things about making banana bread is that you can use overripe bananas instead of throwing them away. I had a bunch of overripe bananas so I was able to do a good bit of experimenting this month.

 

1st Attempt: White Starter/White Flour/Coconut Oil with Nuts

The first time I tried this bread, I made it exactly by the recipe. I used a white flour sourdough starter, white all-purpose flour and coconut oil and added 1/2 cup walnuts. I didn’t ferment the dough. I added 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and baked it right away. This is the version featured in From Sourdough to Banana Bread and Beyond. It’s a good bread but I didn’t want to stop there.

 

2nd Attempt: White Starter/White & Whole Grain Einkorn Flour/Coconut Oil without Nuts

The second time I made this banana bread, I continued with the white flour sourdough starter, and coconut oil, but this time I only used 1 cup of white all-purpose flour, and to that I added 1 cup of home milled whole grain Einkorn flour.  I omitted the nuts because I didn’t have any. I let the batter ferment for 8 hours and when it was time to bake, I didn’t add any baking soda. This bread tasted really good, but the coconut oil and fermented sourdough overpowered the banana flavor so it didn’t really taste like banana bread to me.

 

3rd Attempt: White Starter/80% Extraction Einkorn Flour/Whole Grain Einkorn Flour/Coconut Oil without Nuts

By the time I got to this version, I was a little overzealous. I used the white starter again, but I didn’t use any white flour. I used 1 cup of 80% extraction Einkorn flour and 1 cup of home milled whole grain Einkorn flour. I also used coconut oil and omitted the nuts.

To bring out the banana flavor, I used a trick I learned when I was making Ultimate Banana Bread. In this method, you microwave the bananas on high until the liquid is released and the bananas are soft, about 3-5 minutes. In that recipe, they recommend using bananas that are just ripe. My bananas were very ripe so I only microwaved them for a minute to bring out the flavor. I didn’t liquefy them because I didn’t want to change the texture of the bread too much.

I let the batter ferment for 8 hours again and used 1/2 baking soda to neutralize the sourdough flavor. However in my eagerness, I didn’t bake the loaf long enough so it didn’t bake all of the way through. The flavor was really good. It reminded me of Amish Friendship Bread. After I cut a couple of slices, I realized it wasn’t baked through so I had to throw the rest of it out.

 

4th & 5th Attempts: Einkorn Sourdough Starter/80% Extraction Einkorn Flour/Whole Grain Einkorn Flour/Butter with Nuts

Even though the 3rd bread wasn’t a complete success, I felt pretty confident that if I had baked it long enough, it would’ve been fine. So, I continued on to the last phase of my experiment. Fortunately, I still had some bananas left to experiment with.

For this version, I used my Einkorn Sourdough Starter, Einkorn flour, butter instead of coconut oil and I included nuts.

They say the third time is the charm, but in this case, the fourth and fifth times were the charm. The fourth time to get the recipe down and the fifth time to get the photos right.

It took me several weeks, but I finally created a Sourdough Einkorn Banana Bread to call my own.

 

Sourdough Einkorn Banana Bread

Makes: 1 9x5-inch Loaf

Ingredients:

• 2 bananas, mashed
• 1 cup Einkorn Sourdough Starter
• 1 – 1 1/2 cups 80% extraction Einkorn flour (from Jovial Foods)
• 1 cup whole grain Einkorn flour (home milled)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup raw sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/4 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup pecans (or walnuts)
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda (to neutralize the sourdough flavor)

 

Directions:

1. Cream the butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla. 

2. Nuke the bananas in the microwave for 1 minute, then mash them. Mix the sourdough starter and mashed bananas into the creamed mixture.

3. In a separate bowl, add the flour, and salt. Add the flour mixture to banana mixture and mix just until combined. Be careful not to over-mix. 

4. Let the batter ferment for at least 7 hours.  Then mix in 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.

5. Pour the batter into a greased 9x5-inch bread pan.

6. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

7. Remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing. 

8. Remove the loaf from the pan to a wire rack and let it cool completely before slicing.  Try to wait until the next day if you can to let it develop it’s full flavor.

 

I used my new ceramic baker to bake this Sourdough Einkorn Banana Bread. I love baking in this ceramic baker. It’s my favorite color.

 

Now, I have a banana bread to call my own. I hope you enjoy it.

Happy Baking!

Cathy

 

From Sourdough to Banana Bread and beyond–Part 1 {sourdoughsurprises}

Banana Bread has always been one of my favorite treats. It’s simple to prepare, makes a great snack, and freezes well. I never grow tired of it.

I really enjoy my tried and true banana bread recipes, but I also like to experiment with new ones. Over the years, I’ve made regular banana bread, ultimate, whole wheat, peanut butter, chocolate chip, and over-the-top banana bread to mention a few.

Just when I thought I was running out of options, the Sourdough Surprises’ Baking Group challenged us to make Sourdough Quick Breads. Sourdough!  Now, why didn’t I think of that! 

 

Sourdough takes quick breads to new heights:

This sourdough quick bread challenge took banana bread to a new level for me. There are so many possibilities. I’ve been having so much fun making banana quick bread with my sourdough starter this month. I made four different variations. The first version is featured in this post. 

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Here is the Sourdough Banana Bread recipe I used for my sourdough quick bread experiment.

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I started with the sample recipe (recommended by the group - link above). I followed it pretty much to the letter the first time I made the bread because I wanted to see how the original version performed and what enhancements, if any, I might like to make for future breads.

 

Options for using sourdough in a quick bread:

There are a couple of ways to utilize a sourdough starter in quick breads. You can use any starter you prefer, just make sure it’s fresh, meaning recently fed.

Option 1: Mix all of the ingredients, including the sourdough, omit the baking soda and let the batter ferment for at least seven hours. Then bake it. This method makes it more easily digestible. If you want to mute the sourdough flavor, add the baking soda a few minutes before baking the loaf.

 

 

Option 2:  Mix the batter, including the sourdough, add the baking soda and bake the bread. If you bake the bread immediately, you won’t get the benefits of the fermentation, but it still makes a delicious bread.

This is the method I used for my first attempt. I didn’t want to wait for the batter to ferment so I added 1 cup of my recently fed apple starter, mixed the batter and baked it right away. 

 

This version is really good for a sourdough quick bread; however, it didn’t have the banana flavor that I was looking for. The texture was perfect so I think part of the problem was the coconut oil that I used instead of butter. It gave the bread a wonderful flavor, but kind of overpowered the banana flavor. Even so, I really liked this bread, especially with the addition of chopped walnuts.

On subsequent attempts, I let the batter ferment for at least 7 hours and sometimes overnight. The fermentation gave the loaf a nice tangy flavor; however, there was still the issue of the muted banana flavor.

I finally found the sweet spot by combining a couple of different techniques to get the benefits from the sourdough and enhance the banana flavor without affecting the texture of the bread.

 

Banana Bread and beyond…

If you’re wondering what I meant by “and beyond” in the title of this post, stay tuned. I’ll be posting more about my sourdough banana bread adventures. Look for a follow-up post that reveals how I took this recipe, incorporated a different starter, and a method for enhancing the banana flavor and came up with my own quick bread.

Here’s a preview of the next phase of my experiment:

 

Happy Baking!

Cathy

 

Easy Whole Wheat Banana Bread

Today, you’ll find me on the Grain Mill Wagon talking about Whole Wheat Banana Bread.  I love making Banana Bread because it’s quick and easy to prepare and it’s a great way to use up overripe bananas.  Quick breads make a great snack and this loaf is no exception.

I’ve always enjoyed the banana bread I grew up eating, white flour and all, and I still enjoy that version from time-to-time.  However, these days, I look for ways to make a healthier loaf.

This quick bread incorporates freshly-milled whole wheat flour, olive oil and less sugar.  I sifted out some of the bran and germ to lighten the texture of the loaf, but still keep most of the nutrients from the grains. The result is a delicious and moist whole wheat banana bread with lot’s of flavor.

Please join me on the Grain Mill Wagon to learn how to make Easy Whole Wheat Banana Bread.

 

Happy Baking!

Cathy

Over-the-Top Banana Bread

I’m in banana bread heaven. This is not your grandmother's or even your mama’s banana bread. When I was thinking about how to describe this bread, over the top was the first thing that came to my mind.

This bread is featured in the October 2012 Issue of Cooking Light Magazine, and according to the article, this is no ordinary banana bread. It is lighter and the flavor is over the top. I totally agree.

 

It is over the top in terms of texture and taste, but not tricky at all to make. It’s a new twist on a old theme. It is made with medium-ripe bananas sautéed in butter and brown sugar.  Once it’s baked, you drizzle a browned butter glaze over the top. The flavor is superb!  The Ultimate Banana Bread I made the other day is so good, but this one is pure deliciousness!  Now I have two outstanding banana bread recipes to enjoy.

Thinking about over-the-top flavor reminded me of a dance move I learned when I was taking tap lessons. It’s called, you guessed it, “Over the Top.” You may have seen Gene Kelly perform this step. It’s a tricky move, but he made it look so easy (as with everything else he did). If I remember correctly, to perform this move, you hold one leg out in front of you, then you cross the other leg over the top and twist and jump to land on the other foot.

Don’t worry, you don’t need to know how to tap dance to make this bread. You don’t even need to have really ripe bananas on hand for this one. I think that’s the best part. No waiting for the bananas to ripen then forgetting about them.

 

Caramelized Banana Bread with Browned Butter Glaze

Yield: 1 Loaf

Recipe from: Cooking Light Magazine October 2012 Edition

Refer to the list of ingredients on the Cooking Light web site.

I followed the recipe except I substituted almond milk for the half and half in the glaze and olive oil for the canola oil in the batter.

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Note: The recipe calls for softened butter. I’m not sure why because you melt it in the pan for the batter and for the glaze. So if you are pressed for time, you don’t have to wait for the butter to soften. At least not in my opinion. This would’ve saved me some time for sure.

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Here’s how you do it:

1) Start with medium-ripe bananas.  Here are the bananas I used.

 

2) Sauté the bananas and dark brown sugar in melted butter until the bananas are soft.  It smells so good and tastes divine.  You’ll want to taste test this part.

 

3) Transfer the banana mixture to a mixing bowl and beat with a mixer until smooth.

 

4) Mix the dry ingredients together and the wet ingredients together and add them alternately to the banana mixture.

 

5) Spread the batter in a loaf pan. They used a 9 x 5-inch nonstick loaf pan sprayed with baking spray with flour; I used an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch glass pan sprayed with real olive oil, not spray oil. My loaf didn’t burn at all nor did it stick to the pan.

 

6) Bake the loaf in a preheated 350 degrees F. oven on the middle rack for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

 

7) Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

 

8) Remove the bread from the pan, and cool on the wire rack.

 

9) Melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until the butter begins to brown, then add the powdered sugar and milk. Whisk until the mixture is smooth.  Drizzle over the bread.

 

10) Let the bread stand until the glaze sets if you can. This is what it looks like after the glaze has set.

 

11) Slice and enjoy! 

 

This bread tastes really good, I mean really good. I almost omitted the glaze. I’m glad I didn’t because the glaze is what sends the taste over the top. This is definitely a keeper!  

 

 

Happy Baking!

Cathy

Flavorful Banana Bread without the gumminess

I’ve always loved Banana Bread. It’s one of the first breads I learned how to make when I was a little girl, and I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of it. Growing up, we had it with breakfast or as a snack, and I still enjoy it that way today.

Even though I never grow tired of banana bread, it is sometimes hit or miss as to whether it turns out. For me, it’s one of the easiest breads to make, but it is also one of the easiest breads to mess up. It can be tricky to get a moist loaf that tastes great and isn’t gummy on the inside.

Recently, I tried a banana bread recipe three times, and the loaf came out gummy every time. That’s frustrating because not only is it a waste of ingredients, it’s a waste of time. Plus, when you’ve got your mouth set on enjoying a slice of warm sweet bread, and instead you get a sticky slice without much flavor, it’s a bummer to say the least.

I gave up on that recipe, but I heard about a different method for making banana bread that brings out the flavor and reduces the gumminess. I had ripe bananas and the time to bake so I decided to test this method for myself.

 

Ultimate Banana Bread

Makes: 1 Loaf

From: America’s Test Kitchen

Refer to the list of ingredients and the tips for choosing ripe bananas on the America’s Test Kitchen site.

I pretty much followed the Test Kitchen’s recipe and instructions for my experiment, except I used 4 really ripe bananas in the batter instead of 5 and one fairly ripe banana on top because that’s all I had. I also sprinkled sugar in the raw on top instead of granulated sugar.

The process for making this bread is really cool so I’ve documented the steps below:

The first thing you do is release the juices from the bananas to boost the flavor.

Place the bananas in a microwave-safe bowl. They suggested that you cover it with plastic wrap and cut steam vents. However, I don’t use plastic wrap in the microwave so I covered it with a paper towel.  Microwave the bananas on high until the liquid is released and the bananas are soft.  This will take about 3-5 minutes. 

 

Place the bananas in a fine mesh strainer over a medium bowl.  Allow the liquid to drain into the bowl until you have about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of juice.  Mash down with a spoon to release the juices if necessary. The recipe indicates this process could take 15 minutes, but it didn’t take very long for my bananas to release enough juice for 1/2 cup.

 

Transfer the liquid to a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup.  This will take about 5 minutes. 

 

Remove the pan from the heat, then stir the liquid into the bowl with the bananas.  Mash the bananas with a potato masher until they are fairly smooth.

 

Whisk the melted butter, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla into the banana mixture.

 

Mix the flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl, then pour the banana mixture into the flour mixture.  Mix just until the batter is combined, but there are still some streaks of flour showing. If you are using walnuts, fold them in at this point.

 

Scrape the batter into prepared baking pans.  I used 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch glass pans.  This is the size recommended by the Test Kitchen and just happens to be my favorite size as well. I also prefer glass pans for quick breads because they don’t seem to burn as easily.

Slice the remaining banana diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place the slices on top on both sides of the loaf in a shingle pattern.  You’ll need to leave a 1 1/2-inch-wide space down the center of the loaf to ensure an even rise.  Trust me, you want to do this.  You’ll see why in a minute.  Sprinkle the top evenly with sugar.

 

Bake the loaf for 55 to 75 minutes in a preheated 350 degrees F. oven with the rack in the middle position. Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then remove it and continue to let it cool on the wire rack.

 

Look at how much the bread rose. See where the banana slices are?  Now you can understand why you need to leave that much space down the middle of the loaf.  I think that is so cool!

 

Serve warm or at room temperature.  I did both.  I sliced this bread after it had cooled a bit and it tasted pretty good.  However, as with most quick breads, this one tastes better the next day. 

The Test Kitchen recommends eating the bread fresh, and although the bananas on the sides are a bit sticky, I still think it tastes better the next day. Just let the loaf cool completely, wrap it in plastic wrap and it can be stored for up to 3 days.  If it lasts that long. 

 

 

Happy Baking!

Cathy

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

I’ve been waiting for just the right time to make this Peanut Butter Banana Bread. I saw it on the cover of Cooking Light a couple of months ago, but wanted to make sure one of my sons was around to eat it instead of me. I get in trouble if I keep sweet breads (well, sweet anything) around when my sons aren’t home. 

In the meantime, my mom saw the bread on the magazine at the newsstand and decided she wanted some.  She said “don’t you get that magazine?”  Yep, now you know where I got my sweet tooth. I come by it naturally.

That settled it, I would make the bread and bring it to Thanksgiving Dinner. That way, I could taste it, but not be tempted to eat the whole thing. 

I mean, this is a winning combination. What’s not to love?  Peanut butter and bananas were made for each other.  The peanut butter and the fat-free yogurt make this a very moist banana bread and the addition of chopped dry-roasted peanuts provides a hint of nutty flavor.  The glaze also has peanut butter in it. 

This bread tastes really good warm.  Everyone gave it a thumbs up!

 

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Recipe from October 2010 Cooking Light Magazine

Ingredients

Bread:
1 1/2  cups  mashed ripe banana
1/3  cup  plain fat-free yogurt
1/3  cup  creamy peanut butter
3  tablespoons  butter, melted
2  large eggs
1/2  cup  granulated sugar
1/2  cup  packed brown sugar
6.75  ounces  all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4  cup  ground flaxseed
3/4  teaspoon  baking soda
1/2  teaspoon  salt
1/2  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
1/8  teaspoon  ground allspice
2  tablespoons  chopped dry-roasted peanuts
Cooking spray

Glaze:
1/3  cup  powdered sugar
1  tablespoon  1% low-fat milk
1  tablespoon  creamy peanut butter

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare bread, combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed. Add granulated and brown sugars; beat until blended.

Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through allspice) in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to banana mixture; beat just until blended. Stir in nuts. Pour batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan; cool.

To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar, milk, and 1 tablespoon peanut butter in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle glaze over bread.

 

Nutritional Information

Calories: 198
Fat: 7.4g (sat 2.3g,mono 2.7g,poly 1.8g)
Protein: 4.7g
Carbohydrate:  29.7g
Fiber: 1.9g
Cholesterol: 28mg
Iron: 1.1mg
Sodium: 200mg
Calcium: 27mg

Whole Wheat Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

One of the breads we made for the HBinFive July 1st Bread Braid, was a Whole Wheat Banana Bread.  The HBinFive banana bread uses yeast rather than baking powder and baking soda.  I love banana quick breads, but I haven't quite gotten used to yeasted banana bread yet.  So, to give the yeasted bread a fair chance, I decided to do a comparison between the two types of bread.

I made the Yeasted Whole Wheat Banana Bread and one of my favorite quick bread banana breads. To make it fair comparison, I changed the recipe for the quick bread a little bit. Instead of using all-purpose flour, sugar and butter, I used the same combination we used for the HBinFive dough - a mixture of white whole wheat and all-purpose flours, and honey and oil.  I also substituted chocolate chips for the walnuts.

I liked this version. The honey gives it a unique flavor.  It's definitely different than banana quick breads made with all white flour, but I liked it. My main taste tester really liked the quick bread (and the yeast version).  So, I sent both breads home with him.  I have to watch my waistline you know and that's the best way I've figured out how to do it and still do what I love - mainly bake bread.

Whole Wheat Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

Adapted from this Moist Banana Bread Recipe
Yield: 1 loaf (about 12 slices)

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup honey (instead of 1 cup of sugar)
• 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup oil (instead of 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup sour cream (I used fat-free)
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour (I used  freshly milled white whole wheat flour)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (this wasn't called for in the original recipe)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (I used sea salt)
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (if desired)  I added some chocolate chips instead
  
  

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat the sugar and butter with an electric mixer until creamy.  I used oil and honey instead of butter and sugar so I just beat it with a whisk.

Add eggs, vanilla, sour cream and mashed bananas and mix well. Blend in the dry ingredients.

Add the nuts (or chocolate chips) if desired.

Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 1 hour or until top is set.

Remove the loaf from the oven and cool on a wire rack.  I let it cool in the pan for a few minutes, then removed it from the pan to finish cooling for a bit. 

This banana bread actually tastes better the next day if you can wait that long.


Thanks for visiting The Bread Experience Bread-Baking Blog. I hope you enjoyed your visit and will join me again next time.


Happy Baking!
Cathy

Whole Wheat Banana Bread: HBinFive

The second bread in the July 1st Healthy Bread in Five Minutes Bread Braid is Whole Wheat Banana Bread. I had a bunch of  overripe bananas in my refrigerator that were almost past their prime so this was good timing.

This particular banana bread is a yeasted banana bread rather than a quick bread. It is made with a combination of white whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour and honey and oil rather than sugar and butter. I've made yeasted banana bread before and wasn't too impressed so I didn't know what to expect with this bread.  I guess I'm just partial to the banana bread that I grew up eating.

You can find the recipe for this whole wheat banana bread on page 200 of the Healthy Bread in Five Minutes book.


I used freshly-milled white whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour. I made the dough the night before I planned to bake the bread and let it sit on the counter for two hours. Then I put the dough in the refrigerator to ferment overnight.

I baked the bread the next day and I'm happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised.  This yeasted banana bread tasted good, especially warm with butter.



Editors note:  This bread tasted really good warm and fresh from the oven.  I tried it a little while later and it was a bit lacking in flavor.  This is probably because I was expecting it to taste more like a banana quick bread.  My son thought it lacked flavor as well and he didn't like the crust.

Having said that, this is a great bread for toasting.  It tastes good with peanut butter which is not something I would normally eat on banana bread.  Who knew?

Thanks for joining me in the bread-baking blog.  Check out BigBlackDog to see all of the breads in the July 1st Bread Braid roundup.

Happy Baking!
Cathy




About the HBinFive Baking Group

The HBinFive Baking Group, started by Michelle of Big Black Dogs, is baking through all of the breads in the Healthy Bread in Five Minutes book. For more information on the HBinFive baking group, check out BigBlackDog.





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