These flatbreads are based on a recipe for Spiced Pumpkin Flatbreads that I shared earlier this month. It occurred to me that a cinnamony-sweet version would be just the thing for a brunch, lunch or snack sandwich. Caramelized bananas came to mind. And toasted pecans for crunch. But what would keep the sandwiches together?? A creamy, spreadable, tangy chocolate cheez, of course.
The chocolate cheez recipe is one that I submitted to One Green Planet not too ago. They graciously published it. You can read the post and snag the recipe here. (And thanks to Megan Rascal at SFWeekly for posting about it on the SFoodie Blog!)
Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Flatbread Sandwiches w/ Chocolate Cheez & Caramelized Bananas
Serves 2
Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Flatbreads
Makes 12 flatbreads
2 1/2 cups whole wheat white flour
1 tsp. salt
4 oz. unsweetened applesauce
1 cup almond milk or water
1/4 cup raisins, soaked in warm water, drained and finely chopped
1 tsp. cinnamon
dash cardamom powder
dash allspice
1 tbsp. maple sugar
3 tbsp. coconut oil, melted
Semi-soft Chocolate Dessert Cheez
several thick slabs
Caramelized Bananas
1 large banana, cut into thick slices
~1/4 cup prune puree (baby food works well)
dash cinnamon
splash orange juice
~2 tbsp. toasted pecans, chopped
Make the flatbreads:
In a small bowl, whisk together the applesauce and almond milk/water. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt and then add the applesauce mixture, stirring until a soft dough forms. Add more milk/water if dough seems dry; more flour if it is too wet and sticky. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead for about 15 minutes. Place dough in a lightly-oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 1 hour.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the coconut oil, spices, maple sugar and raisins. Set aside.
Form flatbreads:
Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Flatten a piece of dough and roll it out into a very thin disk – about 9″ round. Keep remaining dough balls covered. Spread about 1 tsp. of the coconut oil mixture onto the flattened dough and then roll it tightly into a long cylinder. Coil the cylinder into a tight spiral, gently press and then transfer to a large piece of parchment paper. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and proceed with the remaining dough.
Cook the flatbreads:
Heat a large cast-iron skillet on medium-heat. Tape a large piece of parchment paper onto a work surface and roll out one of the spirals to a 6″ or so round. The dough will want to curl up and the raisins will want to escape, but persevere. It helps to roll them out a bit then to let the dough rest before rolling some more. Plop the round into the skillet and cook until puffy and brown, then flip and cook the other side. This takes only a few minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover with a towel to keep warm. Continue with the remaining spirals.
Make the cheez:
You can find the recipe for my Semi-soft Chocolate Dessert Cheez by clicking this link to One Green Planet.
Make the caramelized bananas:
Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the bananas, prune puree, cinnamon and orange juice. Let the mixture bubble and the bananas get nice and soft. Add more orange juice if the bananas start to stick. Remove from the heat and set aside until ready to assemble the sandwiches.
Assemble the sandwiches:
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Smear copious quantities of chocolate cheez onto one side of two flatbreads. Divide the bananas between two flatbreads and layer on top of the cheez. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Top the flatbreads with the remaining two flatbreads. Lightly spray the skillet with cooking oil and gently warm the sandwiches, flipping after a few minutes to toast the other side. Remove from pan, slice and serve immediately.
