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I’ve always wanted to make Banana Bread with a texture like bread rather than cake. However, I have not been able to find a recipe that I was happy with. We happened to have some ripe banana and I used them as an experiment. I am happy that the experiment turned out well and I got a bread rather than a cake! This recipe is highly recommended as the bread is soft like cotton and the few pieces we had left were still soft on the second day.

I used pâte fermentée (pre-fermented dough in French) or sometimes called "old dough" to make this soft and flavourful bread. Traditionally, bread makers take a portion of the bread dough made and save it overnight for next day baking. I made it from scratch since I did not have any ready old dough. With this method, the bread is more flavourful and aromatic due to the higher acidity and fermentation gasses produced during the slow fermentation.

Please click on Bread Making Method to understand more details.

I have another Old Dough Bread recipe that you may like to try too. Creamed Sweet Corn Bread.

If you have any questions regarding this recipe or any other post, please leave me a comment in the “LEAVE A COMMENT” link and I will reply you as soon as possible. Do tag me on Instagram @Bakewithpaws if you attempt on this recipe.

How To Make Soft Banana Loaf Bread

INGREDIENTS:

Old Dough:

140g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour)

½ tsp instant yeast

½ tsp brown sugar
Pinch of salt

85g fresh milk

Main Dough:

320g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour)

All the old dough

160g mashed banana

1 tsp instant yeast

25g brown sugar

1 ½ tsp salt

25g milk powder

40g butter, room temperature

40g whisked egg (from 1 large egg, balance use for egg wash)

Egg Wash:

Balance of the egg above + 1 tsp water

Utensil:

25 X 12 X 11 cm loaf pan, lined with parchment paper

METHOD:

For the Old Dough:

Combine milk, yeast and sugar in a mixing bowl. Then mix in bread flour with a wooden spatula until well combined. The dough is sticky. Cover with cling film and let it prove for 1 hour in a warm and dark place.
After 1 hour, place into the refrigerator and use the next day at least after 12 hours or up to 16 hours. 30 minutes before using, take out the sponge dough from refrigerator to return to room temperature.
If you don't plan to bake the next day, after 1 hour fermentation, shape it into a ball and wrap it in cling wrap or place it in a ziplock bag. Store it in the freezer for 1-2 months. Take it out 30 minutes before using to defrost.

Kneading main dough:

Put all ingredients (except butter) nto a bowl of stand mixer. Using the hook attachment, mix for around 3 minutes or until the dough comes together.
Add in butter and continue knead for 12 - 15 minutes or until reach window pane stage. During the whole kneading process, I stopped few times to scrape down the dough from the hook to be sure it is evenly kneaded and also to prevent the motor from overheating.

1st Proofing:

Round up the dough and put back in the same bowl. Cover with lid and let the dough rise in a warm place for 45 to 60 minutes or until double in size.

Shaping:

After 1 hour, punch down the dough to release the air. Transfer the dough to a clean floured surface then divide into 2 equal portions. Roll out each dough with a rolling pin into long rectangle shape. Roll up the dough until a small log is formed.

Final Proofing:

Place all dough in the prepared loaf pan. Let it rise for another 45 to 60 minutes or until double in size.

Baking:

Preheat the oven to 190C for about 15 minutes.
Brush with egg wash.
Bake at preheated oven for 25 - 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Remove bread from oven and let them cool on rack.

GENERAL NOTES:

GLUTEN DEVELOPMENT & WINDOWPANE TEST

Gluten forms when flour comes in contact with water. Hydration of the flour causes the sticky and stretchy protein to form, giving structure to the bread. This makes your bread trap air and rise.

Gluten in dough can be developed by autolyse, resting, kneading or folding.

The windowpane test is used to determine whether the dough has been sufficiently kneaded. By gently pulling the dough (or you may pinch off some dough) and trying to stretch it into a thin membrane. If you are able to stretch the dough paper thin and translucent without tearing, then the gluten is fully developed. However, if you can stretch it without tearing but the membrane is not transparent, then the gluten is not yet fully developed.

However, from my experience not all the recipe can achieve a thin and translucent window pane stage easily. For example low hydration and low fat dough. For such recipes, a reasonable window pane is good enough and it can be left to rest. Gluten will continue to develop while resting. Exercising restraint to not over-knead the dough prevents the gluten from being overworked and broken. Some of you may have experienced the dough breaking during the second proofing. It is because the dough is over kneaded.

The total kneading time for me is usually 15 minutes at low speeds except brioche dough with high fat percentage or dough using liquid fat which usually takes a little longer (maybe 18-20 mins).

From my experience, I found that high hydration dough with high percentage of fat will be easy to stretch and achieve a paper thin windowpane stage.

KNEADING TIME

For kneading, please regard the timing provided as an indication only. It is only meant as a guide. Timing may differ depending on the brand of flour and electric mixer used. The protein content may vary from one brand of flour to another.

FLOUR
The right flour plays a very important role in bread making. To achieve fluffy, soft and light bread, I used Japan High Gluten Flour in most of my bread baking. The protein content is around 12 - 13%.

HYDRATION

The liquid measurement given is also a guide. It is advisable to always reserve some liquid and not add it all in one go. This would give you the opportunity to adjust if necessary. If dough is too dry, add the reserve liquid one tablespoon at a time until the right consistency. This is because each flour absorbs water and hydrates differently.

PROOFING

Please note that the proofing timing may also vary depending on your climate and environment. The humidity and temperature at your place will influence how dough rises.

If you are unable to judge by just looking at the dough, you can do the finger poke test:

First Proofing:

Lightly flour or oil your finger or knuckle, gently poke in the centre of the dough then remove your finger. If it bounces back immediately without any indentation then it needs more time.
If the indentation stays and it doesn’t bounce back or if the dough collapses, then the it is over proved.
If it bounces back just a little, then the dough is ready to be punched down and shaping.

Second Proofing:

Lightly press the side of the proved dough with your finger. If it bounces back immediately without any indentation, it means the dough is under proved and needs more time before baking.
If the indentation stays and it doesn’t bounce back, it means it has been over proved.
If the indentation slowly bounces back and leave a small indentation, it is ready to bake.
There will be a final burst of rising once the bread is placed to bake in the oven and it is called oven spring.

WRINKLE TOP OR SHRINKING

If your bread collapses or gets wrinkled on top after removing from oven, it could be because your dough over proved during the second proofing. Please proof until it rises 80 - 90% in size or is slightly below the rim of the pan.

BAKING TEMPERATURE & TIME

Do also note that the baking temperature and timing provided are what works for my oven and should also be regarded as a guide only. Every oven behaves a little differently, so please adjust accordingly for your oven.

Comments

Mrs BearMay 17, 2018 at 9:12 PM
Hi, the sponge dough is not as sticky as expected. The sponge dough recipe states milk, but the method step 1) states water. For the main dough, milk is not listed in the ingredients.

Is there a missing ingredient in the sponge dough recipe?

Thanks.
Yung
Believe it, Powerstroke InjectorsMarch 3, 2019 at 11:16 PM
Oh my gosh, this looks yummy! I love banana bread so I think this would be like banana bread amplified by 1000!
AnonymousSeptember 29, 2024 at 7:07 AM
Love your recipes, they always work for me! Only have to slightly ajust the liquid in dough. Had to add 30 more grams milk in poolish/pate fermentee and 20 grams milk in final dough.My flour is 13 protein.