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45 Things To Do With Ripe Bananas

Bananas drive me crazy. I know that sounds odd, but it’s true. My children love bananas, but the minute they get so much as a black dot on them, they’re “no longer edible”. I decided I had to expand my banana repertoire and find more things to do with ripe bananas.

Here are 45 (and counting!) ideas for recipes that use bananas for those times you have a box full, or a freezer full, or if you have a toddler who only eats half at a time so you have to freeze the other half every time. Hope you find a go to recipe among this lot!

45 Ways To Use Bananas

Breakfasts:

Make it a great start to the day with this banana granola breakfast – with DIY banana chips too. Yummy.

I’m not sure these will need freezing in colder climates, but perhaps during the summer. They don’t have the melted sugar to keep them together, which makes them a snack, and a treat at the same time.

Dairy, egg, gluten & refined sugar free with nut & grain free options, this breakfast cooking ticks all the boxes you need for those mornings where you need breakfast on the go.

IMG_2556

This looks like pretty much the best breakfast in the world. I could wake up with a smile if I knew this was coming my way!

Baked Goods

IMG_2059

Look at that picture. Do I need to say any more? I didn’t think so.

Grain free and sugar free? You’d be forgiven for thinking that didn’t sound like much fun, but click over to see the picture and you’ll see just how good good for you can look!

Well, what’s there to say. Banana pancakes. And only four ingredients. Yayness.

Nutella Banana muffin

Because sometimes a little bit of bad is good for you too!

A totally different take on the traditional banana bread, this one has chocolate swirled throughout. Not only does it look so scrummy, but it looks beautiful too.

Or if you prefer a no-sugar muffin, these Banana Date Pecan No Sugar Muffins (above) look good enough to…well, eat.

I love Red and Honey, it’s one of my favourite blogs, and she has a recipe contributed by Made To Glow that blows the chocolate mug cake out the window! This 5-minute pumpkin spice mug cake is perfect for cooler days for sure!

DSC2684

Of course you can show off your super hero side and make banana muffins with zucchini – that’s courgette to those of us not in the US – to add a helping of greens to your day’s snacking too. Courgette will make these super moist and lovely too.

flourless-muffins2

That just looks tasty, tasty, tasty.

Another version of the banana muffin, but this one’s good for the dairy free-ers and the sugar free-ers too. (Yes, I just made up a word.)

Bananas and almond flour, these Paleo pancakes should keep you full for hours.

Another version of pancake recipe, but this one has pumpkin spices to make it unique from the others.

Not quite banana bread, these banana energy bars will be great for that mid morning energy boost. I think they’re a great substitute for reaching for mid-afternoon treats too!

I’ve been drooling like a baby all afternoon putting this list together, but this oozing dark chocolate icing just about takes the… well, the cake. Can you resist it?

Another cookie that could be eaten whenever hunger strikes really. Such a lovely mid day boost.

Hummingbird-Cake-from-The-Organic-Kitchen

This is such a beautiful, elegant looking cake. I’ve never imagined a banana cake as an elegant thing, but here it is…

Apparently a Southern staple, I can see why this is a must have recipe for anyone with a sweet tooth! Made of creamy custard, layered heavily with sliced chunks of banana, and pudding-soft Nilla wafers, topped off with whipped cream or meringue, it’s got to be a winner.

Is it a mousse, is it a pudding, I don’t know! It’s like a smoothie with a spoon, either way, this looks like a tasty treat that should even fool picky toddlers!

Have you tried avocado to add the smooth to your mousse? Here’s a recipe if you’d like to try it for the first time!

Well now, these just look like a reason to encourage my daughter to only eat half a banana. Just so wrong. And so right.

Okay so these aren’t a baked good, but they’re too good not to share!

Frozen Treats:

Banana-Frozen-Yogurt-Sundae-SOP-011

Well this looks as good as anything you can buy in a shop! Better, even!

These look simply luscious. Like the kind of thing you’d make your bananas go over ripe for.

Banana ‘ice cream’ is a regular thing around the internet these days, but this nutty variety looks delicious. Definitely one to give a go! I love the addition of the mint leaves too – just makes it feel summery!

Pineapple-Popsicles-Post

Another ice cream, but this time with pineapple and lime. Could it get more tropical than that?

Strawberry-Coconut-Chia-Popsicles-with-Cashew-Butter-Drizzle-Gluten-free-and-Dairy-free

Yum! How good does this look! May summer last forever, so we have a chance to try all these!

If you’ve not tried the one ingredient ice cream yet, you really should!
DSC3520

Oh my goodness, how amazing do these look? I am salivating just looking at the picture. So much richness!

Drinks:

A smoothie that’s bound to give your energy levels the right kind of spike.

Fancy some banana bread but not all the grains? Here’s a lush and refreshing deconstructed drinks version for you to enjoy. No hot kitchen required either.

Smoothie-Recipes-for-Kids-The-Popeye-Smoothie-6WMEng

Tell me that doesn’t look amazing. Excuse me while I pop out for some spinach.

I lurvveeee my coffee. But this is a new one on me. I guess if it’s for the kiddies, I’ll leave out the coffee, but you know, mama’s got to have her treats.

A fun, healthy snack to fill the belly and a yummy sweet treat too.

Isn’t it great when yummy happens to be good for you too?

With that colour, this is definitely a conversation starter! I’m sure it’ll be great too.

Different Banana Breads:

Because everyone loves chocolate, and if you can make it a little healthier, why not!

For the totally healthier version, you have to try the 5 Ingredient, Super Easy Banana Cake That Is Total Gooey Goodness (Gluten, Sugar & Dairy Free). This is a gooey looking pan of deliciousness. I’m sure you won’t even notice that it’s good for you.

I regularly make a cinnamon sourdough bread, but I hadn’t thought of adding banana to it before – I may have to do that next, because a cinnamon banana bread sounds fantastic.

I don’t think the amount of bourbon in this is going to kill anyone or make it child-unfriendly, but it should add a nice taste kick. Definitely something a little different.

strawberry+banana+walnut+bread

Hmm…. that looks so yummy… the freshness of the strawberries definitely makes it feel like a summery bread too.

*According to Healy Eats Real

Dairy free, gluten free yum. They do look gorgeous!

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No-Bake Marshmallow Cheesecake Recipe

There are a lot of sweet-teeth in my family, so when Father’s day rolled around, it seemed fitting to make a delicious cheesecake filled with a family favourite – marshmallows. I mean, what could possibly go wrong, right!

In retrospect I should have cut the marshmallows in halves or quarters, just to make them more bite-sized, but it didn’t make it taste any the worse.
nobake marshmallow cheesecake

I love that this cake is no-bake, I love that you can make it a day ahead for the best firmness, and I love that it’s delicious!

Not sure about marshmallows? How about Nutella? It’s so good!

Marshmallow Cheesecake Recipe
Recipe Type: Desert, Special Occasion, Make Ahead
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 8 servings
This is a very forgiving recipe. So long as you don’t over whip the cream. It’s really easy with two bowls, but I only have one and it’s not a huge faff – just make sure to clean the bowl properly before adding the cream.
Ingredients
  • 10 – 15 Marshmallows (1 cup mini marshmallows)
  • 250g Digestive Biscuits
  • 75g Soft Butter
  • 400g Double Cream
  • 500g Cream Cheese (at room temperature)
  • 100g icing sugar
Instructions
  1. As compared to the picture above, chop the marshmallows into chunks. A regular marshmallow in four pieces or so would be fine. Alternatively, pop them in the Thermomix and chop on speed 4 for 5 seconds.
  2. Clean out the bowl (doesn’t need to be washed)
  3. Add the biscuits and the butter to the bowl and mix till it resembles wet sand. (30 seconds speed 5)
  4. Sprinkle over the base of a cake tray, and press down so that it creates a firm and solid base for your cheesecake.
  5. Put it in the fridge for a couple of hours and make sure to wash and properly dry the bowl.
  6. When the base is ready, whip the double cream to stiff peaks. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t turn to butter. Add the cream cheese and icing sugar and mix (with the butterfly) (speed 2, 30 seconds).
  7. Put the marshmallows on the base of the cheesecake, then pour over the cheese mix. (If you have a deep dish layer marshmallows, cheese, marshmallows, cheese).
  8. Smooth the top and put in the fridge till you’re ready to serve. You can eat this same day, but next day is even better!
  9. I use a springform tin, gliding a knife around the edges to loosen first, then releasing and serving on the base.
  10. Once released, decorate the top and serve.

 

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Nutella Banana Muffin Recipe

Nutella Banana Cupcakes

It’s nutella and banana. Do you need any more convincing? I have a banana bread recipe that I love and use often, but sometime a little something different doesn’t hurt!

Nutella Banana Cupcakes

I would recommend using deeper muffin pans than the ones I used for these, as being able to cover the nutella completely is a bit more ideal, but it’s not the end of the world if you don’t.

Leaving the chocolate exposed will give it a crunch top layer, covering it will give you more oozy, yummy chocolatey goodness.

Nutella Banana MuffinsNow, I’m saying use Nutella here, because it’s a name most people recognise, but you can of course substitute for other chocolate spread, including a home made one. 

These are really delicious, moist and tasty. I hope you enjoy them too!

Nutella Banana Muffin
Recipe Type: Treats, Snacks, Deserts
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12
Adjust the Nutella, or home made Nutella, for more or less chocolatey centres.
Ingredients
  • 180g self raising flour
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 100g sugar
  • 80g oil (not olive)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 bananas
  • 100g milk
  • 120g Nutella
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 180C
  2. Prepare your muffin pans
  3. Add all the ingredients except Nutella and mix at speed 5 for 10 – 15 seconds to make sure it’s all blended.
  4. Spoon into muffin cases, and drop a little less than a full tablespoon of Nutella into each muffin case.
  5. Bake for 30 minutes to 45 mins, sticking a skewer in every 10 minutes after 20 minutes till it comes out clean.The size of your muffin tray is going to determine how long these takes, hence the variable time.
  6. Remove from muffin trays onto a wire rack, and leave to cool.

 

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Balsamic Onion Pastries Recipe

Oh, I love puff pastry. I know I could make it, but I really love having a few boxes of it in the fridge because it makes the whole ‘quick dinner’ thing really easy.

Balsamic Onion Pastries

To make these pastries, cut the raw product into squares, then once the filling is in take the corners and fold them to the centre. Don’t press them down just leave them loose and pop some filling on top. That way the filling is inside and outside. Lovely.

Balsamic Onion Pastries Recipe
Recipe Type: Snack, Pastry
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
A pretty forgiving recipe, and while beginning to end it’ll take about an hour, your hands on time is very little, especially if you’re using a bought or premade puff pastry.
Ingredients
  • 1 Portion of puff pastry
  • 600 grams onions
  • 20 grams olive oil
  • 40 grams balsamic vinegar
  • 75 grams brown sugar
Instructions
  1. Roll out your pastry into a large square
  2. Cut into 8 squares
  3. Peel the onions and chop 3 seconds speed 5
  4. Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar
  5. Cook for 30 minutes, Varoma Speed 1 with measuring cup off.
  6. Spoon onto the pastry squares and fold the corners in towards each other. Add a tablespoon of the caramelised onion to the centre of the folded pastry.
  7. Bake for 20-30 minutes at 180C

 

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Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread

I enjoy my sourdough. I like sourdough bread. I feed my sourdough every day, like a good parent. But sometimes, I just don’t fancy a straight up sourdough bread.

One thing I really love is cinnamon. I have about 8 supermarket spice jars and a 1kg bag in the store cupboard! That’s some good stuff, cinnamon.

I decided to sweeten the bread with cinnamon sugar left over from making pancakes, and threw in a cup full of raisins, and see what happens. It was so good! My daughters love it, and it’s a favourite here now.Sourdough Bread

This is quite a dense bread, unless you leave it to rise for ages – it’s one of those sourdoughs that does better for a 12 hour rise.

It also makes a huge batch – two regular sized loaves. The Thermomix TM31 copes with it, but just. The T5 should be better with the bigger capacity bowl. You can split the ingredients in two and just do the Thermomix bit in two batches.

I hope you like this bread. We love it!Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough

Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread
Recipe Type: Bread, Baking
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2 loaves
Ingredients
  • 750g strong white bread flour
  • 400g lukewarm water
  • 40g olive oil
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 200g sourdough starter
  • 100g sugar
  • 10g cinnamon
  • 150g raisins
Instructions
  1. Add all the ingredients to the Thermomix bowl
  2. Mix on speed 6 for 10 seconds to combine everything
  3. Then knead for 3 minutes on the dough setting (wheat sheaf)
  4. Meanwhile, oil or butter your loaf tin.
  5. Note: This makes a HUGE loaf, so if you’re using a standard loaf tin, you’ll need to separate the dough into two.
  6. Remove from Thermomix and place on a tray. Halve the dough now if you’re going to.
  7. You need to ‘fold’ it into a ball. Essentially treat it like a sheet you’re tucking in to a mattress – take one side and fold it under, then the other, and fold it under, then the final two, till it’s a ‘ball’.
  8. Place in the bread tin, then cut deep slits along the top – this is to prevent the sides of the bread splitting apparently.
  9. Now here things get tricky. There are as many instructions for making sourdough bread as there are recipes, so here’s what I did.
  10. Leave the dough to rest for six hours, in a warm, but not hot place.
  11. Heat the oven to 200C and cook for 30 – 40 minutes. Test to see if it’s ready by knocking on the crust. If it sounds hollow it’s ready.
  12. Leave the bread to cool slightly before cutting.

 

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Puff Pastry Cheese Sticks Recipe

It’s that time of year where I start thinking about snack box fillers for days out, picnics and camping weekends, and one snack type that we all like is a puff pastry cheese stick. Now, you can buy these pretty cheaply, but they’ve been in a box for weeks and have an almost human-lifespan shelf life, in some cases! They are so quick to make, and they are delicious. Kept in an airtight container they also last well – if you hide them away so no one can eat them, that is.

Cheese Twists

Now, I’d like to be all pious and tell you I made the pastry myself, and for budget reasons, I’d make large batches, but actually when I’m doing quick snacks, bought pastry is perfect. If you buy a roll of pastry, go for the most expensive one you can find. An all-butter pastry is delicious, whereas the cheaper ones with oil can have a bitter after taste.

You can vary and adapt the filling to your heart’s desire. Remember a lot of it will fall out when you’re twisting, so make sure to have a bowl or something you can ‘mess’ into so you can reuse it again.

Tip: It’s also useful to fill and slice the pastry on the tray you’ll put in the oven. It just cuts down on the spillage.
Cheese Twists

For this recipe I’ve used parmesan and smoked paprika. You can also use a combination of herbs, and a melting cheese. Great flavour combinations are:

  • Cheddar and chives
  • Parmesan, rosemary & thyme
  • Cheddar & Onion Salt
  • Parmesan and Smoked Paprika
Puff Pastry Cheese Sticks Recipe
Recipe Type: Snacks, Picnic, Lunch box
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 1 Roll Puff Pastry
  • 40g Parmesan Cheese
  • 2 tsp Smoked Paprika
Instructions
  1. Roll out puff pastry
  2. In the Thermomix (or using a cheese grater) finely chop the parmesan (speed 10, 30 seconds) and add the seasoning – in this case smoked paprika. Mix speed 5 for a couple of seconds to combine.
  3. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over one half of the puff pastry, then fold the unsprinkled side over the sprinkled side so that it covers itself completely (like folding a page in half, basically!)
  4. Use a sharp knife to cut slits through from one side to the other, about 10 -12 all in.
  5. Take an end in each hand and twist in opposite directions and place on a baking tray.
  6. Bake at 180C for 20 – 30 mins till it’s golden brown and delicious

 

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Pastel De Nata – Portuguese Custard Tarts Recipe

Our family had some pretty amazing travel plans for this year, and if things hadn’t gone as  they did, we’d be setting off from Sintra near Lisbon in Portugal roundabout now, for Spain. One of the things I remember from a previous visit to Portugal is Pastel de Nata – Custard Tarts – which are delicious sweet baked custard tarts in a puff pastry shell.Pastel de nata - Portuguese Custard Tarts If you’re a fan of the Nando’s restaurant chain, you may recognise these as one of the only desert options on the menu, but I’ve never been a fan of them! There’s nothing quite like fresh, home made tarts. It just wins out. No surprises there, I suppose.

Pastel de nata - Portuguese Custard Tarts

I’d like to be all holier-than-though, but I actually bought this puff pastry, because as Lorraine Pascale, James Martin and Jamie Oliver all say – there’s no reason not to! Especially if you buy the all butter pastry. It’s about £1 more than the ‘normal’ one, but it’s so much better, with a much nicer taste and no bitter aftertaste. It’s well worth paying that bit extra.

If you are going to make it, have a look at this easy puff pastry recipe from Jane at Why Is There Air?

Pastel de nata - Portuguese Custard Tarts

Sprinkle the icing sugar before you’re going to serve, as it will be absorbed and you won’t see it and if you keep adding sugar it becomes terribly sweet. My five year old was the icing sugar distributor in these photos and she was, shall we say, liberal in her application 😉

Portuguese Custard Tarts Recipe
Recipe Type: Desert
Cuisine: Portuguese, European
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12 pies
The cooking time here does not include the cooling time once the custard is cooked before it is baked. Add at least another 30 – 50 minutes depending on your temperature. If you cover the custard with plastic while it’s cooling it shouldn’t form a skin, but if it does just mix it up – you won’t notice it in the final product.
Ingredients
  • 115g White Sugar
  • 1 Egg
  • 2 Egg Yolks
  • 10g Cornflour
  • 400g Full Fat Milk
  • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 300g All Butter Puff Pastry
Instructions
Thermomix Recipe
  1. Weigh out the milk and set aside.
  2. Place the white sugar into the Thermomix Bowl and mix at Speed 5 / 10 Seconds
  3. Add one egg and two yolks to the bowl. (don’t bang against the Thermomix bowl as that tends to upset the scales)
  4. Add 10g cornflour and mix it all together, Speed 5 / 2 Seconds
  5. Set the Thermomix to 90C/Speed 5/ 7 minutes and start it running
  6. Add the milk slowly in a steady stream – it should take about 30 seconds to add.
  7. When it’s finished, add the vanilla extract and do a quick speed 5/ 1 second to mix it in.
  8. Remove the lid and leave to cool.
  9. If you’re making the pastry, now’s a good time to do that. Role out the pastry and use a cutter to cut 12 circles big enough to cover your muffin pans.
  10. Spray the pans, add the pastry and press down to make the ‘cases’.
  11. Once the custard is cooled all the way down, heat the oven to about 180C
  12. Add a tablespoon or two of the custard to each muffin case – don’t fill it all the way to the top.
  13. Cook for 20 – 25 minutes. The custard will puff up and look pillowy and like it’s going to overflow but when you take it out of the oven it’ll collapse down again.
  14. Bake until the tops are brown – I don’t like them blackened, but I’ll leave it to your personal preferences on that.
  15. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool down thoroughly. They can be eaten warm, but are just as delicious cold.
  16. Sprinkle with icing sugar before serving.

 

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Lemonade Scones

When I was living out in Australia a few years ago, my brother had a friend who brought scones round one day. They were the lightest scones I had ever had, and I had to have the recipe. I’ve made these hundreds of times and recently a friend asked me if I had the recipe on the blog. I realised I didn’t, so here it is Sam, just for you.

Lemonade Scones2

This is a 3-ingredients scone – okay, four, but salt doesn’t count. The self raising flour and salt are the dry ingredients, and the cream provides the fat you’d normally get from crumbling butter into the mix. The lemonade gives you the rise, since it reacts to the baking powder in the flour, and the bubbles airate the whole mixture, I guess.

You must not overmix this recipe, or you completely knock the air right out of it and end up with flat cakes – still tasty, but not quite afternoon tea quality.

Lemonade S

Whether you a jam first or cream first scone eater , you’re bound to love how light and fluffy these scones are.

Lemonade Scones
Recipe Type: Thermomix
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 15
Light, airy and easy to make scones – enjoy!
Ingredients
  • 400g self-raising flour
  • 240g double cream
  • 190g lemonade
  • pinch of salt
Instructions
Regular Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 200C
  2. Sift the self raising flour, cream and salt in a mixing bowl.
  3. Add the lemonade and mix briefly till it’s all mixed together. Literally till it’s JUST mixed.
  4. It’s REALLY important not to over mix or your scones won’t rise.
  5. Remove from the bowl, and lay out on a tray. Pat it down to an even 2cm height.
  6. Use a cutter and press down, and straight back up again – don’t twist the cutters as you don’t want to squeeze the air out.
  7. Carefully lift the scones onto a tray
  8. Brush with milk (use the back of a spoon if you don’t have a pastry brush)
  9. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, till golden
Thermomix Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 200C
  2. Place the self raising flour, cream and salt in the Thermomix bowl.
  3. Add the lemonade and mix speed 4, 5 – 10 seconds. Literally till it’s JUST mixed.
  4. It’s REALLY important not to over mix or your scones won’t rise.
  5. Remove from the bowl, and lay out on a tray. Pat it down to an even 2cm height.
  6. Use a cutter and press down, and straight back up again – don’t twist the cutters as you don’t want to squeeze the air out.
  7. Carefully lift the scones onto a tray
  8. Brush with milk (use the back of a spoon if you don’t have a pastry brush)
  9. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, till golden


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South African Thermomix Vetkoek

I love Vetkoek, it reminds me of growing up, of my dad coming home on a Friday with a bag of ready made dough from the shop, chopping it up and making vetkoek, which he’d put into a big cream-coloured bowl and we’d all crowd round eating warm fresh vetkoek filled with cheese, mince, syrup or apricot jam. Sometimes we have it with a chicken mayonnaise filling, and sometimes I’d simply have it on it’s own.Vetkoek

 

While you can try to compare a vetkoek with a doughnut, it doesn’t taste like a doughnut, it’s more savoury, but still a little sweet. Actually, there’s nothing I can think of to compare the flavour to – it’s it’s own thing.

Your choice of fillings is endless – pretty much anything goes, but for us the favourites are cheese, mince, chicken, syrup, and apricot jam, as I said above.

South African Thermomix Vetkoek
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 10
Ingredients
  • 210g water (room temp)
  • 280g unbleached bread flour
  • 1 (5g) teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon (3g) sugar
  • 1.5 teaspoons (7g) fast-rising active dry yeast (I use this one)
  • oil, for deep-frying
Instructions
  1. Pour water into the Thermomix bowl.
  2. Add dry ingredients finishing with the yeast.
  3. Mix 10 seconds/ speed 6
  4. Then 3:30 minutes/ kneading setting
  5. Remove and set aside to rise
  6. When doubled in size (about 90 minutes) divide into 10 balls on lightly floured surface. Flatten slightly in the palm of your hand.
  7. Let rise for 1/2 hour. (Use this time to prepare your filling)
  8. Warm oil in deep pot– oil should be about 2 inches deep – on medium heat. Drop a thumbnail sized bit of dough into the pan. If it sizzles it’s hot enough, and once the tiny bit of dough has risen to the top, remove it and start cooking your vetkoek.
  9. Add the dough balls one at a time, depending on the size of your pot, about 5 or 6 at a time. They will swell up so don’t overfill the pot.
  10. Fry vetkoek for about 5 minutes a side, but keep an eye on it. If they blacken too quickly, they’ll still be raw inside, and your oil is too hot. If the oil is not hot enough, the vetkoek will absorb lots of oil and be gross.
  11. They should be the color of doughnuts when ready. Golden delicious.
  12. Drain on kitchen towels or in a colander.
  13. As soon as you can bear to touch them, slice open and fill.
  14. Enjoy.

 

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Sourdough Bread In The Thermomix

Before we go any further, I need to come clean on something here: I’m not a professional at sourdough. I’m not even really good at it. This was my first attempt at sourdough, and I’m really happy with how it turned out, so I wrote it down. I expect that there’ll be plenty of editing and changing as I play and learn with it. But, sitting here eating a slice of bread with butter, I can tell you that this recipe as it is written here, works, and works well.

Sourdough BreadBack in November a friend gave me a master class on Sourdough as it’s something she makes a lot. I took away a dried starter with me, and then life happened. In the last week of February, I finally activated the starter, and have been feeding it for a week. Yesterday I felt we were good to go.

If you want to buy a ready to go starter, you can get them from eBay and Etsy, among others.

This makes a huge loaf. In future I’ll make it as two breads in a regular loaf tin. You can also use this proving basket for up to 1kg of bread, which would suit this recipe perfectly.

So, to the recipe…

Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2 standard loaves
Ingredients
  • 750g strong white bread flour
  • 400g lukewarm water
  • 40g olive oil
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 200g sourdough starter
Instructions
  1. Add all the ingredients to the Thermomix bowl
  2. Mix on speed 6 for 10 seconds to combine everything
  3. Then knead for 3 minutes on the dough setting (wheat sheaf)
  4. Meanwhile, oil or butter your loaf tin.
  5. Note: This makes a HUGE loaf, so if you’re using a standard loaf tin, you’ll need to separate the dough into two.
  6. Remove from Thermomix and place on a tray. Halve the dough now if you’re going to.
  7. You need to ‘fold’ it into a ball. Essentially treat it like a sheet you’re tucking in to a mattress – take one side and fold it under, then the other, and fold it under, then the final two, till it’s a ‘ball’.
  8. Place in the bread tin, then cut deep slits along the top – this is to prevent the sides of the bread splitting apparently.
  9. Now here things get tricky. There are as many instructions for making sourdough bread as there are recipes, so here’s what I did.
  10. Leave the dough to rest for six hours, in a warm, but not hot place.
  11. Heat the oven to 200C and cook for 30 – 40 minutes. Test to see if it’s ready by knocking on the crust. If it sounds hollow it’s ready.
  12. Leave the bread to cool slightly before cutting.

I hope it works for you. Please let me know, and if you have any hints and tips, leave them below! I think I could use them!