Banana Bread – Page 6 – The Dough Academy

Gummy banana bread is a very common problem among new bakers that are just starting to make their own bread at home. And it can be a very frustrating one, since it’s impossible to tell until it’s out of the oven, at which point you were most likely thrilled by the way your bread looked, and you were ready to taste it. So, why did it happen? Gummy banana bread is caused by uncooked dough. The most common reason why a banana bread becomes gummy is an overdeveloped gluten network, which can be caused by excessive kneading or using the wrong flour type. However, there are other factors that may lead to gummy a banana bread, such anot allowing the dough to rest after shaping, incorrect baking time and temperature, or cutting the bread right after you took it out of the oven. Now, let’s take a look at each problem and see what you can do to fix it and prevent it. The Gluten Network The gluten network is crucial to the texture of banana bread, as it allows the dough to expand while rising, keep its shape while baking, and have a desirable crumb. An underdeveloped or overdeveloped gluten network can lead to problems with the bread's texture, such as gumminess. One common cause of gummy banana bread is over-kneading the dough, which can result in a rubbery texture that holds the interior of the bread together instead of allowing it to expand properly. However, simply following a recipe's recommended kneading time or method may not be sufficient, as individual factors such as pressure and speed can vary. To ensure proper gluten development, it is best to use the windowpane test, rather than relying solely on time or a specific method. Windowpane Test This is a very simple test that will tell you if you’ve kneaded your dough enough. Take a small piece of dough and gently start stretching it out, and see if you can obtain a slightly transparent layer in the middle. If you can then you’ve kneaded the dough perfectly. If the dough breaks too easily it means that you have to knead it a little more. If the dough is too hard to stretch, and when you finally manage to stretch it breaks, it means that you’ve over kneaded and you need to start all over. And here is a video showing how you can do this test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgEeHKTyowo Flour Type Gluten is formed when you combine water with flour. So, as you can imagine the type of flour that you use will have a huge impact on the strength of the gluten, and by extent the texture of your banana bread. Flour is separated into different categories using a rating system. One problem with the rating system is that it’s not uniform worldwide, a lot of countries have their own, including the US, Italy, as well as France and Germany, and a few more. Here is the rating system, with the different names each country has for the flour types, and what that actually means. Ash ContentProteinUSItalianFrenchGerman0.4%9%Pastry Flour00454050.5%11%All-Purpose Flour0555500.8%14%High Gluten Flour1808121%15%First Clear Flour211010501.5%13%Whole Wheat FlourFaina Integrale1501700 In the US you will most likely see the US grading system, but it’s not uncommon to see some manufacturers use a different label just because 00 flour can sound fancier than pastry flour. But regardless of what system you are using to rate the flour, you have to know that there are differences between a flour rated 00 and another rated 0. The biggest one is how fine the flour is 00 being the finest one of them all. How fine the flour is ground will have a huge effect on how much water it can absorb and what texture your banana bread will have. If a recipe calls for 100 grams of all purpose flour and you are using pastry flour, it’s like you will only be using around 80 grams of all purpose flour, and this difference will completely change the recipe. Another big important difference is the protein content. The table that I showed you contains the average, but some flour will have more or less proteins, this is because different manufacturers have different grain sources, grown in different conditions. The amount of protein in a flour can greatly influence how much water the flour can absorb. Different flour types can absorb different quantities of water. This is why I would suggest you stick to all purpose flour, also known as 0 flour, this is the type that is usually used for bread. Unless the recipe specifically calls for a different type of flour. Not Enough Rest Time After Shaping Shaping banana bread is a crucial step in the bread-making process, as it activates the gluten in the dough, making it less elastic. This can cause the bread to break instead of expand, leading to a dense, spongy texture when baked. To avoid this issue, it's important to let the dough rest after shaping. However, it's important to strike a balance, as letting the dough rest for too long can cause the gas inside the banana bread to escape, preventing it from rising. One simple way to know if the dough has rested enough is by gently poking it. The Poke Test This is extremely simple, you just have to slightly poke your dough and see how it reacts. If the dough bounces back quickly it still needs some more time to rest. If the dough slowly gets back to its original shape, then it sat for long enough, and it’s time to put it in the oven. If the dough doesn’t get back to its original shape, it means that it spent too much time resting and you should make a new one. Baking Time and Temperature All the hassle that we’ve been through with the gluten will be for nothing if the baking temperature and time are not correct. Ensuring the proper baking temperature and time is crucial to achieving the perfect loaf of banana bread after all the effort spent on the gluten. It's important to note that all ovens have their unique temperature quirks, even ones of the same model, and their heat may vary over time. That's why investing in an oven thermometer is a wise decision for any baker as it will provide an accurate reading of the temperature in your oven. Now that we got this covered let’s talk about the exact temperature that you need. Temperature When it comes to baking banana bread, the optimal baking temperature is between 350°F to 375°F (175°C to 190°C). This temperature range is ideal for ensuring that the bread cooks evenly throughout while also allowing the top to brown nicely. However, the baking time may vary depending on the recipe and the oven, so it's important to keep an eye on the bread as it bakes. Baking banana bread at too high of a temperature may cause the edges to burn and the center to remain uncooked, resulting in a dry and overcooked exterior with a raw interior. On the other hand, baking at too low of a temperature may cause the bread to be too dense and undercooked. Therefore, it's important to stick to the recommended temperature range and adjust the baking time accordingly based on how the bread is baking in your oven. A toothpick inserted into the center of the bread should come out clean when it's done. Time Now that we know the temperature at which you should bake, let’s discuss time. The time needed to bake banana bread can vary depending on several factors, with the size of the loaf being the most significant one. Generally, the larger the loaf, the longer it should spend in the oven. However, it can be challenging to give an exact baking time, which is why it's helpful to use a thermometer to check if the bread is ready. To check if your banana bread is done, you'll need a thermometer that can read the interior temperature. A thermometer with a metal rod that you can insert into the bread is ideal. If you don't have one, you can easily find one online. Here is a link to the one that I’ve been using for the past few years: ThermoPro TP-16. Once you have a thermometer, insert the metal rod into the bread until you reach the middle, and wait a few seconds until it beeps, indicating that it has taken an accurate reading. You can even close the oven door to prevent any heat loss if your thermometer has a metal wire. A fully baked banana bread should have a temperature between 350 and 390°F (180 and 200°C). If your thermometer shows a temperature in this range, you can take the bread out of the oven. If not, you can let it in the oven a few more minutes. Let Your Banana Bread Cool Down As soon as you take the bread out of the oven, you might notice steam rising from the loaf. That steam is heated water, and if you slice the bread right away, all that water will remain in the bread and turn it gummy. But here's the thing: bread isn't fully cooked when it comes out of the oven. However, you can't put it back in the oven to continue baking because it'll burn. When you take the bread out of the oven, its interior temperature is between 350 and 390°F (180 and 200°C), which is a temperature range at which many foods are cooked. So, the bread's interior is still baking, and a significant portion of the baking process happens outside of the oven while the bread cools down. To prevent gummy banana bread, it's best to let the bread reach room temperature before slicing and eating it. I know it can be tempting to cut into a freshly baked loaf, but it's crucial to let the bread cool down for at least one hour. Rushing the cooling process by placing the bread by a window or in a cold area is also not recommended. Final Thoughts Getting gummy banana bread is a real bummer, especially when you're just starting out. But now that we've covered all the reasons why it happens, you should be able to avoid it completely. As I mentioned earlier, an overdeveloped gluten network is the most common cause of gummy banana bread. This can occur due to over kneading, using the wrong flour types, or simply not allowing the bread to rest long enough. However, you can solve all of these issues by performing two simple tests: the windowpane and poke test, and by sticking to all-purpose flour. Baking time and temperature are also common culprits, but as we've seen, they can be easily addressed by using thermometers. And, of course, the hardest part is waiting for the banana bread to cool down. But as we discussed, the baking process is not yet complete when you take the bread out of the oven. So, be sure to wait at least one hour before slicing into your bread.