Buckwheat Banana Bread Glazed Over:

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY RENÉE KOHLMAN

When you’ve been baking for decades, in a variety of capacities like I have, chances are you’ve whipped up countless loaves of banana bread. Every cafe or bakery kitchen had their own recipe, and the variations were endless. Some used buttermilk and browned butter, while others used canola oil and sour cream. Chocolate and toasted nuts were optional add-ins, as were peanut butter, or Nutella.

The one constant about banana bread is its continuous popularity. Everyone loves banana bread, including yours truly. The reason I buy bananas is so that they can get all ripe and speckled, which means I then toss them in the freezer for future banana bread baking. Once thawed, the banana flesh slumps out of its skin, and while it sure doesn't look very pretty, it is a dandy ingredient to bake with.

So, while you may think that you don’t need another banana bread recipe, I think you’ll enjoy this one. I used a little bit of buckwheat flour in addition to the all-purpose, as I quite like its earthy, slightly bitter taste, and it pairs especially well with toasty nuts and sweet banana. Buckwheat also loves chocolate, and some chunks of dark chocolate would not be out of place here.

If you’ve never baked with buckwheat before, you’re in for a treat. Contrary to its name, buckwheat is not a true grain or wheat. It’s actually a seed closely related to rhubarb and sorrel. However, because its seeds are rich in complex carbohydrates, it’s sometimes referred to as a pseudo-cereal. While it’s not a true grain, it can be used like one in cooking and is a delicious alternative to rice, pasta, couscous or bulgar wheat. Buckwheat is naturally gluten-free, which makes it a great alternative to those avoiding gluten.

Buckwheat comes in several different forms. The buckwheat seeds are often called “groats”. The groats can be raw, sprouted or toasted, and when they’re toasted they’re known as “kasha”, which has an earthier, nuttier flavour than raw buckwheat. You can find buckwheat in the form of pasta as well, including soba noodles. And then there is buckwheat flour, which is wonderful to bake with, and a grand way of including some rich nutrients to baked goods, including protein, fibre, and it ranks low on the glycemic index.

Because there is no gluten in buckwheat flour, the texture of this banana bread is slightly crumbly, but in a good way. And now we need to talk about that maple tahini glaze, which is everything. It really dresses up this banana bread and I could honestly eat it by the spoonful, but willpower eventually kicks in. It’s sweet, yet not overly so, and the tahini maple combo marries so well with the banana, walnut, and buckwheat action in the bread.

Buckwheat flour can be a little on the pricey side, but once you have a bag you’ll find a multitude of uses for it. Or if you just want to purchase small amounts for this recipe, think about purchasing at bulk food stores.

Kohlman is a busy food writer and recipe developer living in Saskatoon. Her two cookbooks ‘All the Sweet Things’ and ‘Vegetables: A Love Story’ have won awards and been on best-of lists.

Buckwheat Banana Bread with Maple Tahini Glaze

Makes one loaf

Banana Bread:

1¼ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup buckwheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

¾ tsp ground cardamom

2 large eggs

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup (125 mL) canola oil

3 ripe bananas, mashed (1¼ cup/300 mL)

1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract

1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped, some reserved for topping (optional)

Glaze:

½ cup icing sugar

1 Tbs (15 mL) tahini

1 Tbs (15 mL) maple syrup

2 Tbs (30 mL) cream

Pinch salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Lightly grease a 23x13 cm loaf pan and line with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl combine both flours, baking powder, salt, and cardamom. In another medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, oil, bananas, and vanilla. Pour this into the dry ingredients and add the toasted walnuts. Gently combine, being careful not to overmix the batter.

3. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 60-70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

4. Transfer the loaf to a cooling rack and run a butter knife around the sides of the bread to loosen. After 5 minutes, turn the loaf out and let it cool completely, right side up, on the cooling rack.

5. When the banana bread has cooled completely, mix up the glaze. In a medium bowl, combine the icing sugar, tahini, maple syrup, cream, and salt. Stir until smooth. If it’s too thick, add a bit more cream. If it’s too runny, add more icing sugar. The glaze should have a pourable consistency.

6. Drizzle the glaze over the banana bread and top with reserved toasted walnuts. Let stand for 30 minutes before slicing.