These Sourdough Banana Spelt Sweet Rolls feature a decadent chocolate pecan filling and a white chocolate glaze, but what makes them truly unique is the inclusion of the whole banana (peel and all).

Elizabeth, of blog from OUR kitchen, chose Wild Banana (peel and all) Cinnamon Bread (or Buns) as the monthly bake for the Bread Baking Babes.  She was inspired by the Washington Post recipe for “Don’t Peel Your Banana Bread” (https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/whole-banana-bread-black-sesame-and-walnuts/17827/).

I had been testing different sweet roll recipes over the past several weeks and converting them to sourdough, so instead of using the recipe and method Elizabeth provided, I stuck with the formula I had been experimenting with recently.

To be honest, I was hesitant to use the whole banana, including the peel.  There are benefits to using the whole banana, like not having to throw away or compost the peel, added nutrients, etc., but it just didn’t sound very appealing to me.  However, I decided to try it anyway.

I was quite pleased with how these banana sweet rolls turned out, with one exception – the peel.  I think this can be remedied (by softening the peel and chopping it into smaller pieces), so I won’t discount this method altogether.

Incorporating the Whole Banana in these Sourdough Banana Spelt Sweet Rolls

Based on Elizabeth’s notes and other recipes I reviewed, the banana is typically pureed, including peel and all, and then incorporated into the batter or dough.  I didn’t want to add too much liquid to the dough, so I approached things a little differently.

I had already been experimenting with this sweet roll formula, so I knew I liked it.  All I needed to do was substitute the banana for some of the other ingredients.

Bananas can be used as a substitute for eggs, oil, or butter. Using this knowledge as my guide, I made the following substitutions.

I started with one ripe organic banana that I washed and dried, then cut off the ends.  Then I froze the banana (with the peel on) for several days until I was ready to bake the rolls.

On bake day, I mashed the banana and used it as a substitute for one of the eggs in the dough. The original formula called for two eggs.

Then, I pureed the banana peel and used it as a substitute for part of the butter.  After I had pureed the banana peel in the blender, I measured the puree.  It measured 3 tablespoons, so I reduced the amount of butter by 3 tablespoons.  Instead of using ½ cup / 8 tablespoons as the original formula called for, I used 5 tablespoons of butter.

Since the banana isn’t a substitute for the liquid, I used the full amount of milk and warmed the pureed banana peel with the milk and butter.

Using Sourdough in these Banana Sweet Rolls

In my recent experiments, I’ve been using 100 grams of recently fed and active sourdough.

For these rolls, I used sourdough that had been resting in the fridge for a little over a week. I let it warm to room temperature, but it wasn’t very active.  To compensate for this, and the added banana, I incorporated ½ teaspoon of instant yeast.

If your starter is recently fed and active, you may not need as much instant yeast.

Flavor Profile of Sourdough Banana Spelt Sweet Rolls

I enjoyed alternating bites of chocolate and banana.  The banana flavor is a little overpowered by the chocolate, but I didn’t mind.  That’s the flavor I was going for.

If you prefer to enjoy more of the banana flavor, omit the chocolate filling.  You can go with a filling of melted butter, sugar, and cinnamon, or omit the filling altogether.

The dough for these sweet rolls is really good, so it doesn’t necessarily need a filling.

The glaze is optional as well, but very tasty.  A little goes a long way with these rolls.

What I Will Do Differently Next Time

One thing I will do differently next time is to puree or chop the banana peel a lot smaller.  I used the blender, but a food processor would probably work better.

I ended up with long strands of banana peel in the dough, and although they were softened due to the warm milk and butter, it wasn’t very appealing when I got a long strand of banana peel in an otherwise tasty bite. I like the effect of having specs of peel in the dough; they just need to be smaller.

I also think it would work well to sauté the banana peel in the butter first, then add the milk, similar to how I did with the brown butter sage rolls. I just didn’t think to do that this time.

How do you Store These Sweet Rolls?

These sweet rolls are best served warm the same day you bake them, but they will last a few days on the counter if wrapped tightly or placed in an airtight container.  They reheat nicely.

These banana rolls also freeze well. This is what I did with most of them.  I wrapped them in foil and then placed them in a freezer-safe bag so I could save some for my taste testers.

These Sourdough Banana Spelt Sweet Rolls are inspired by Chocolate Almond Sweet Rolls from Red Star Yeast and Citrus Poppy Seed Twists from the Jan/Feb issue of Baking from Scratch magazine.

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Happy Baking!

Cathy