Sourdough Banana Bread
This isn’t banana bread with leftover starter added for flavor interest. It’s sourdough banana bread because sourdough is the only leavening agent and there is no aded sugar, either. It came out pretty good. It’s tart and tangy but with enough sweetness from the bananas to make it a treat. Add some nuts if you like and maybe a ¼ t baking soda if you’re not completely confident in the strength of your starter. Makes one loaf.
Ingredients:
80 g lively starter @60%
125 g water
250 g all purpose flour
2 large eggs, beaten
4 or so very ripe bananas
½ c chopped walnuts (optional)
1 T vanilla extract
½ stick (2 oz) unsalted butter, melted
¾ t Kosher salt
Method: make a sponge by combining starter with flour and water in a clear glass bowl. It should be the consistency of 60% starter, with not quite enough liquid to fully mosturize the flour. Autolyze 30 minutes, stir and evaluate, and add a bit more water if there are still dry lumps of flour. Now cover tightly and let sit in a warm place until you can see big air bubbles through the sides of the bowl, which might take a few hours or a couple of days.
Sourdough Banana Bread Crumb
Add eggs, mushy bananas, vanilla and salt to a mixing bowl; add melted butter at the end so it doesn’t curdle the eggs. Add nuts if using. Add sponge and mix on low (first) speed until ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Mixture will be quite liquid with some banana bits floating in it.
Turn out into a 9×5 loaf pan which has been greased with butter and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for one hour or until a toothpick inserted in the top comes out clean. Cool and cut it right in the pan into serving slices. Goes great spread with butter or cream cheese and topped with some nice jam.
