sesame

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I love experimenting with different sourdough discard recipes. The possibilities seem endless, and the concept seems obvious – why waste precious, vibrant discard when you can use it to make a delicious new creation? In the vast world of sourdough discard recipes, sourdough crackers rank high on the list of favorites.

Sourdough sesame aleppo pepper crackers combine fruity spice and earthy nuttiness to augment the discard’s sour tang. Pair these with your cheese of choice, a sweet jam, or a charcuterie spread for a helping of flavor and crunch!

ingredients

  • ½ cup sourdough starter discard
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup sesame seeds
  • 1 tablespoon aleppo pepper
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil
  • Flaky salt for dusting 

steps

Place the starter and olive oil in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on medium low with the dough hook. Gradually add in the flour and salt and mix until it is evenly combined, then add in the sesame seeds and aleppo pepper. Transfer the dough to a bowl brushed with the neutral oil, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit for 2 hours.

After the dough has rested for 2 hours, preheat the oven to 350°F. Divide the dough into 3 or 4 pieces and working with one piece at a time, roll it out using a rolling pin and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 25-30 minutes until crisp and golden. 

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Bananas and rum are, in my opinion, a great culinary love match. Have you ever noticed that when bananas get super old and overly ripe they exude an alcohol-like aroma? That is the sugar alcohols releasing from the fruit which, the more ripe it is, lend it even more sweetness. This banana cake with rum tahini caramel has only 2 tablespoons of added sugar in the cake itself since a) the bananas themselves are so sweet, and b) it is doused in caramel sauce. 

I like to plate the cake then pour the caramel over the top and essentially baste it, but you can also pour the caramel over individual servings. The longer the cake absorbs the caramel, the more rich and flavorful it will be. You could eat this banana cake with rum tahini caramel for breakfast or pair it with some whipped cream or ice cream for a decadent dessert. 

ingredients

for the cake

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 medium-large bananas
  • ½ cup neutral oil 
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

for the rum tahini caramel

  • ½ cup sugar
  • ⅓ cup water
  • ¼ cup tahini
  • 2 tablespoons rum

for the garnish

cake steps

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease and line a square baking pan with parchment paper.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and set aside. Cream together the bananas, oil, sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla until smoothly combined. Slowly add in the flour mixture until a smooth batter has formed.

Bake for 45 minutes until golden.

rum tahini caramel steps

Once the cake is finished baking, heat the sugar on medium until it begins to melt, swirling it around without mixing, about 7-9 minutes. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, very slowly mix in the water, then the tahini, then the rum. Cook until it begins to bubble then turn off the heat. 

assembly steps

Let the cake cool slightly and using a toothpick or skewer, make small indents in the top of the cake. Pour the caramel over the cake, either in the pan or on a plate, and allow the caramel to trickle in. Top with sesame seeds and continue spooning any caramel that dripped off the sides onto the top of the cake (essentially basting it).