Attention carb-lovers. This is probably my favorite recipe of all time. I can now die happy and full knowing that this banana bread is the one. If I could marry it, I would (sorry not sorry Josh). Using leftover sourdough starter, rye flour, bananas, warm chai spices and a hint of coconut, this Sourdough Chai Spiced Banana Bread is giving me LIFE.
If you jumped on the sourdough train during COVID quarantine, you’re in good company. While some of us started out of fear, some of us were trying to be more self sufficient, some of us saw it as a way to de-stress, and some saw it as a way to #instabrag their new hobby. Me? I wanted to stop my expensive habit of grabbing a $7+ loaf of bread every week. Oh, and I was bored, in a new country, with no friends, so I LITERALLY made my own, my start, Beatrice. Beatrice is literally my only friend here in San Diego after moving a day before the lock down, and she took a few weeks to warm up to me, but she’s bubbly, sweet, a little needy, and a little unpredictable. I think I just described myself..
Don’t get me wrong. I love me some sourdough bread. And I love making homemade sourdough, but I don’t always feel like making it (hint – it’s a very time intensive process). So I often find myself with a LOT of feedings and a LOT of discarded starter sitting in the fridge.`
PRO TIP: save your sourdough discard in a jar in the fridge and add to it every feeding. I’ve been making crackers and pancakes almost weekly.
Now? I’m making this insanely delicious Sourdough Chai Spiced Banana Bread. I can’t stop, won’t stop.
Incase you don’t know about sourdough, let’s get a couple basics out of the way:
What the heck is a starter and why is she named Beatrice:
Sourdough starters are ALIVE. You are growing wild yeasts with time, flour, and water. Check out King Arthur Flour for some awesome resources.
Why do you have discard when feeding your starter?
Every time you feed your starter, you remove ~50%, and replace it with fresh water and flour. We do this to keep the volume from just increasing daily and to make sure your little baby has enough to eat. If you don’t discard, you risk some of them little yeasty guys dying due to not enough food to go around. Sad.
What else can I use my sourdough discard for?
Everything and anything. Ok not really. But throwing it down the drain or trash will be messy and attract fruit flies. Make pizza dough, crackers, bagels, bread, ANYTHING, but especially this Sourdough Chai Spiced Banana Bread.
#sourdough #homebaking #homebaked #homemadebread #sourdoughdiscard #crackerrecipe #bananabread
Sourdough Chai Spiced Banana Bread
Author: Micah Siva
Cuisine: baking, american
Total time: 75 min
Serves: 10-12
Ingredients
- 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed , plus one for topping
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup coconut or olive oil
- 1/2 cup agave syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tsp chai spice blend (or 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp cardamom, 1/4 tsp cloves + pinch of black pepper)
- 1 cup sourdough starter
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup rye flour (or buckwheat/whole wheat)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- pinch sea salt
- 1/4 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease a loaf pan, and line with baking paper
- In a bowl or in the base of a stand mixer, combine bananas, egg, oil, syrup, vanilla, and chai spices.
- Add sourdough starter, mixing to combine.
- Add flours, baking soda, and sea salt until just combined.
- Fold in coconut and seeds.
- Transfer to the greased loaf pan. Arrange a peeled banana on top (optional)
- Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan before slicing.
- Enjoy!