Banana and Walnut Cinnamon Roll

Here's my favourite recipe. This is good for all kinds of buns or rolls. I always substitute 70% of the flour with fine stoneground wholemeal flour. You can use ordinary bread flour and the result will be just as good, if not better.

Sponge
80g Bread Flour
130g Fine stoneground wholemeal flour
2g Yeast
125g Water

Mix ingredients in a bowl and leave aside for 4 to 5 hours.

Dough
50g Plain flour
40g Fine stoneground wholemeal flour
15g milk powder
40g sugar
6g yeast
1 small egg
3g salt
45g butter

Filling
30g softened butter
20g brown sugar
5g cinnamon
100g bananas
100g walnuts

1. Put ingredients, except salt and butter, into mixer with the sponge. Mix for 5 mins and add salt. Mix for another 5 to 10 mins and add butter. Mix for 10 mins. If you mixer does not have a dough hook, just mix with a big spoon and then use your hands when the dough forms into a ball.

2. Rest the dough for 10 mins and then mix/knead for another 10 mins. Continue this way till you have kneaded for 30 mins.

3. Put the dough in a large bowl and cover with cling wrap. Let it rise (or proof) in the refrigerator. This slows down the rise but improves the softness and flexibility of the dough. This is important on a hot day when the temperature rises above 22 degrees.

4. When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down with your fist and knead all the air out of the dough. Cover and put it back in the fridge.

5. Roast walnuts and leave it to cool. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and leave aside.

6. When the dough has doubled in size again (about half the time required from the first time), punch it down and put it on a well floured surface. Use a rolling pin and flatten the dough into a rectangular shape of 30cm by 10 cm.

7. Spread softened butter over the dough. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over the dough.

8. Spread banana and walnut generously over the dough. Roll the dough up like a swiss roll and cut into 16 pieces. You may cut them into any other size that fits your baking pan.

9. Grease 2 baking pans 17cm by 10cm. Put the rolls into the pan and cover with cling wrap. I usually stack them one on top of the other to save space and clingwrap.

10. Leave to rise for 40 mins.

11. Heat the oven to 220 degrees celsius 15 mins before baking and bake for 15 mins.

12. Cool the rolls on a rack for 1/2 an hour before eating.

Instead of banana and walnut, you can use ingredients such as raisins or chocolate chip. My friend, Mary Ann, likes cream cheese fillings but that's another recipe!

Healthy Additions

As you may have guessed by now, I believe in healthy eating. This means to eat organic fruits and vegetables, where available, and to eat local produce. I also believe in eating seeds and nuts. They contain lots of vitamins and minerals; some even assist in healing. Here are some things I add to bread or sandwiches to make them healthier :

1. Pumpkin Seeds. After brushing the bread or buns with egg wash, sprinkle shelled pumpkin seeds on top. Bake the bread at the usual temperature. The seeds come out roasted and fragrant. Somethings I pick them off the bread to eat on its own. They are really yummy.

2. Flaxseed. These are high in omega 3,6 and 9. They help in brain development and is good for general health. However, the nutrients are destroyed when heated so I usually add them in a sandwich. They need to be grinded into powder form because our body cannot digest the seeds when it is whole. Just sprinkle them generously in a sandwich. They don't have much taste so are not offensive at all.

3. Tahini. These are sesame paste and are used in salads and mediterrenean cooking. I use them as a spread for my sandwiches. I like the black ones because they are very fragrant.

4. Alfafa. I use them as a filling for my sandwich.

5. Olive oil. I like dipping my bread in extra virgin olive oil. They are slightly green in colour and taste great with bread.

6. Banana and other fruits. I like adding banana into my buns and bread. You can add any soft fruit that is in season. I sometimes use raisins. These are sweet and tasty, and is a good source of fibre. I may try jackfruit or durians next time.

7. Cinnamon. This helps to control blood sugar level and smells great in the bread.

8. Walnut. I use this instead of almonds because I prefer to eat almonds own its own. However, any type of nut will taste good when baked. They come out roasted.