BANANA Bread

March 10, 2022

I have made this recipe many times, and its delicious hot out of the oven. It keeps well and freezes really well. (Stops you eating it all too quickly if frozen)

Ingredients

  • Wet ingredients
  • Mash 4 large bananas in a very large bowl
  • Whisk 2 eggs in a separate bowl – until light, creamy and fluffy
  • Stir in 2 diced bananas
  • Melt 4 tablespoons butter (60g) and stir into banana mix
  • Gently stir in Whisked eggs until well mixed
  • Dry ingredients – mix and SIFT  together well before adding to wet ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups (232g all purpose flour in UL) flour
  • 1 level teaspoon BAKING SODA (USA) or bicarbonate of soda (UK) – (NOT baking powder)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup dark brown cane sugar (or 160g light muscovado sugar-UK)
  • optional –
    • sliced banana for lining baking dish
    • Chocolate chips
    • raisons soaked in brandy – (add 10minutes baking time)

+ greased dish lined with optional sliced banana

  1. Pre-Heat oven to 350f (177c PR02 in UK), Oven must be at tempperature as soon dry ingredients are folded into the to wet ingredients, to maximise rise.
  2. COMBINE all the wet ingredients as described above.
  3. Add optional chocolate chips or raisons
  4. THEN:-
  5. Mix  all the dry ingredients into separate bowl and Sift if sugar is lumpy
  6. THEN Prepare the oven dish :-
  7. Grease the Pyrex dish (preferred option) or 2 bread tins
  8. line the base/bases with well-spaced slices of 1 banana
  9. THEN
  10. Gently fold the sifted dry ingredients into the wet mix
  11. Then immediately pour the mix (which is quite wet) into the baking dish(es)
  • Bake for 1 hour
  • Test if ready with skewer – its done when it comes out clean
  • *** NOTE  Might need to add 10mins to baking time, if adding chocolate chips or raisons

SERVE with Tea at teatime or with WITH Vanilla ice cream as dessert…

wet and dry ingredients ready for folding together
ready to pour over sliced bananas
Oven ready
1/2 eaten
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Quick Scones with Sultanas

March 5, 2021

Makes 6 large fat scones.   

  • 8oz SR flour OR (6oz plain SR flour + 2oz Wholemeal SR flour)
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1oz golden caster sugar
  • 2oz softish butter 
  • Blend dry ingrediants in Food processor with blade
  • Mix in 3/4 cup sultanas
  •  
  • 1 large egg – beaten  (at room temp) added to
  • 1/4 pint milk (at room temp)

Variation -was low on plain SR flour, makes12 medium scones: made 24thjune 2021

10.5 oz white SR flour | 5 oz WW SR flour | 5 teaspoon baking powder | 1/2 teaspoon salt | 2 oz caster sugar | 5oz melted butter || 1 cup sultanas || 1/3 milk | 2 eggs  = 18mins @ 215c until nice and golden

basted with egg | added WW SR flour after mixing cos mixture was too wet = great scones

  1. Pre-heat oven to 215C
  2. Add dry ingredients into food processor 
  3. Blend with blade to Make crumbs by adding butter
  4. Transfer crumbs into a bowl, mix in  3/4 cup dry sultanas
  5. Add the milk to the beaten egg.
  6. pour liquid into a well in the mix – reserving some for glazing
  7. mix the wet into the dry with a fork and make a loose ball
  8. turn it out on a well dusted work top if quite wet
  9. Dust the top, and shape gently, To firm up dough a little so scones don’t become too crumbly when baked
  10. Press gently into a large flat patty over 1″ deep
  11. Place onto a cold baking tray using dough scraper if needed
  12. Glaze with fingers, rub in all over top surface
  13. Bake for no more than 11 minutes unless they are LARGE scones, in which case turn 180 in oven at 10mins, and then bake for two more  minutes  (total 12mins) or longer if still a little pale..
  14. Bake until a nice golden colour.

 

 

 

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Traditional welsh cakes

July 13, 2019

Makes at least a dozen welsh cakes..

Ingredients

  • 175g plain flour plus teaspoon baking powder and a sprinkle of grated nutmeg
  • 85g butter diced chilled
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 50g of currents
  • 1/2 free-range egg, beaten with
  • 50g  caster sugar
  • milk, if needed
  • extra butter, for greasing

Method

  1. Sift flour into a bowl and add the diced butter.
  2. Add the sugar to the1/2 egg and beat – leave to dissolve
  3. Rub flour and cold butter with your fingertips, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
  4. Add the currents
  5. Add the  beaten egg with dissolved sugar,and mix well gently BY HAND to form by hand a ball of dough, using a splash of milk if needed. do not knead
  6. DO NOT OVERWORK DOUGH
  7. Roll the dough out on a heavily floured board to a thickness of about 1/2 cm thick or thicker if desired (up to 1cm)
  8. Cut into rounds with pastry cutter.
  9. Rub agriddle with butter, wipe away the excess and place on the hob until it is heated through.
  10. Cook the Welsh cakes a few at a time for 3-5 minutes on each side, or until golden-brown. (electric hob setting 4-5 takes about 4+ mins each side – take care it doesn’t get too hot)

 

 

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Baklava pics

December 19, 2017
  • Sheets of filo pastry
  • 300g chopped walnuts (and almonds and pecans and pistachios)
  • Sugar
  • Honey
  • 1 lemon
  • butter

Brush 1st sheet with melted butter, place another on top, then butter that one (buttering layers softens pastry and helps to avoid breaking when rolling)

Add a row of copped nuts mixed with sugar

roll fairly tight and create spiral, add more rolls until spiral as big as the base of the tin.

Bake @ 170 for 30minutes

Meanwhile make the Syrup with

Water

Honey

Sugar

Zest of whole lemon

Juice of ½ lemon

Simmer for 10 minutes until gold and thickened

Pour onto hot baked spiral

Best eaten anytime after a couple of minutes

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Victoria raisin segments

September 20, 2017

1 beaten egg
2oz sugar
2oz butter
2oz SR flour
1/2 cup soaked raisins

Soak the raisins in boiling water, strain and pat dry
Whisk one egg
Add to creamed butter and sugar and whisk if its curdled
Fold in flour with silicon spatula until smooth
Grease microwavable dish
Spread mix into dish
Sprinkle on raisins
Cover dish with cling film

Microwave for 2+1 minutes at 600
Transfer to oven tray And brown under grill until golden

Sent from Samsung tablet

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Lemon and Plum Sandwich sponge Cake

September 8, 2015

Very lemony sponge cake, delicious with coffee. Quick to make and bakes in less than 30 minutes.

Ingredients

For the sponge:

  • 200g very soft butter
  • 200g golden caster sugar
  • 3 large eggs, whisked till airy and at room temp
  • 250g sifted self raising flour
  • 2/3 level teaspoon bicarb of soda
  • juice of 2 lemons (1/2 cup)
  • grated rind of two lemons

For the glaze and filling

  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • same qty of caster auger
  • 2 capfulls vanilla essence
  • plum jam for filling
  1. Grease and lightly flour tins
  2. pre -heat oven to 180C
  3. whisk eggs in a pouring jug
  4. whisk butter and sugar until light and creamy and smooth
  5. slowly add eggs while whisking until nice nd airy
  6. Add lemon rind and lemon juice with just a quick whisk so it doesn’t curdle
  7. sift in flour with baking soda and fold in carefully
  8. Bake the flan dishes for 2 mins until light golden
  9. Bake the loaf tins for an extra 5 minutes, no more

This mixture is sufficient for two loaf tins and two 4″ flan dishes

For the glaze combine the lemon juice, sugar and vanilla essence in a small pan, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 mins.

Turn out cakes while warm, glaze the top and bottom halves and add a thin layer of jam between layers.

eat warm, as the sides are a little crusty and the sponge very moist And lemony

store wrapped in clingfilm to retain the moisture.

delicious, must make again…

 

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Very Chocolaty Chocolate Dessert Cake

October 9, 2011

This cake is the ultimate chocolate cake, its very rich and a must for chocolate addicts. Its ingredients are quite pricey, but the cake goes a long way as it should be cut into small portions because it is so chocolaty. A great dinner party dessert. Its fast and very easy to make, and all mixed by hand into one bowl, which means hardly any washing up afterwards. A chocolate dessert I will definitely make again.

 

Ingredients

  • 125 g unsalted butter, chopped
  • 375 g 80% good quality dark chocolate, broken into portions
  • 175 g light muscovo sugar
  • 35 g sifted plain flour
  • 40 ml milk
  • 120 g ground almonds
  • 5 medium eggs
  • cocoa for dusting when cooled
  • Whipped cream and fresh fruit for serving
  1. Pre-heat oven to 170C fan/ 190C / gas 5
  2. Place butter and chocolate into a bowl and either microwave in short bursts stirring frequently until melted or melt in a heatproof bowl over a s aucepan of simmering water
  3. Add the sugar, stir with a spatula
  4. Add the sifted flour, stir
  5. Add the milk, stir
  6. Add the ground almonds and stir
  7. Add the eggs and stir well until combined and smooth
  8. Line 22″ springform cake tin with greaseproof paper and pour in mixture
  9. Bake for 40 minutes covered with foil
  10. Remove from oven, uncover and cool
  11. Turn out, and when completely cool dust with cocoa powder
  12. Serve with whipped cream and berries

 

Recipe from Sainsburys magazine

 

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Uncooked Mascarpone and Lime Cheesecake

June 18, 2011

This one is quick and very easy and one of my very favorites

The Base
200g pack of crushed Ginger Snap or Shortcake biscuits
75g (3 oz) melted butterTopping

 

Topping 
2 0z melted dark chocolate
green grapes rolled in caster sugar

 

Filling
2 x 250g tubs mascarpone Cheese
1 1/2 oz (40g) sifted icing sugar
2 limes – juice and zest

  1. Grease base of spring sided cake tin
  2. Put biscuits in a zip lock back and bash with a rolling pin.
  3. Mix crushed biscuits into melted butter and place into cake tin
  4. Press down firmly.
  5. Mix Maxcarpone, icing sugar, lime juice and zest in a bowl and whisk or beat
  6. Put mixture in tin and chill for 30 minutes
  7. Decorate with chocolate leaves made by dipping green leaves into chocolate, chill and peel off when cold
  8. Decorate with frosted grapes by wetting and rolling in caster sugar
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Fatfree Sponge for Tangy Upside down Cake

June 18, 2011

Top fatless sponge with tangy clemantines and marmalade for a healthier treat

Ingredients 

4 tangy clementines, peeled and cut into horizontal slices
3 tablespoons Thin cut marmalade
2 eggs
75g caster sugar
1 clementine juice and zest
75g self raising flour, sifted

Serve with :

250g low fat Fromage Frais
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180C
  2. Place slices of clementine into a non-stick cake tin, up to 4cm deep
  3. Melt marmalade in a pan and spoon over slices
  4. Blend eggs and sugar using electic mix for 4-5 minutes until pale and creamy and leaves a trail
  5. Gently fold in zest, juice and flour until thoroughly combined
  6. Pour into tin, and bake for 23-35 minutes until golden brown and firm to touch
  7. Cool for a few minutes before turning out onto a plate
  8. Stir the ground ginger into the fromage frais and serve
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Apple Strudel with almonds and cinnamon

June 18, 2011

I’ve seen an alternative for a tropical filling which sounds delicious too (use pineapple, pear, banana, macadamia nuts and chocolate drops) but I haven’t tried it yet.

Ingredients

1kg     Apples, peeled and cored and finely sliced
2 tablespoons raisons
1 tablespoons slivered toasted almonds
1/2 lemon   juice and finely grated zest
2 tablespoons caster sugar (more if apples are sour)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
75 g butter
2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
350g packet of filo pastry (can be bought frozen)

 

  1. Pre-heat oven to 200C
  2. Butter a large baking sheet
  3. Add Apples slices, raisons, almonds, lemon juice, zest, sugar and cinnamon to a bowl and mix well – (I heat this mixture in a microwave )
  4. Melt 25g butter in a pan and saute the breadcrumbs until crisp. Keep till later
  5. Clarify the remaining butter, (discard the milky residue).
  6. Unwrap the filo pastry and lay 40x60cm onto a tea cloth lightly dusted with flour.
  7. Brush pastry with clarified butter, place another layer of pastry on top
  8. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over all the pastry except the edges
  9. Spread filling down your  nearest long edge, leaving a margin at each end
  10. Fold ends of pastry over mixture and lift cloth to roll strudel away from you, allowing it to curl over itself.
  11. Pick up the strudel in its sling, and place it onto the greased baking tray
  12. Brush strudel with butter and sprinkle on some drops of water.
  13. Bake for 40 minutes at 200C until the pastry is crisp and brown and the filling tender.
  14. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm with sweetened whipped cream.

 

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Quick Carrot Cake

June 18, 2011

Ingredients

8oz self raising flour
1 flat teaspoon baking powder
1 flat teaspoon baking soda
1 flat teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
5 oz Brown Sugar
2 oz chopped walnuts
4 oz grated carrots
2 mashed bananas
4 fl oz sunflower oil or light fruity olive oil

Topping 1

4 oz (1 tub) Mascarpone Cheese
1 mug sifted icing sugar
5 drops of Vanilla essence

Topping 2

4oz (1 tub) cream cheese
2 oz softened butter
8 oz sifted icing sugar
1-2 teaspoons vanilla essence
1 teaspoon lemon juice

 

  1. Mix flour, baking soda, bicarb of soda, nuts, carrots and bananas together in a bowl
  2. Hand whisk in the oil
  3. Pour into a greased dish and bake for 3/4 to 1 hour at 180F
  4. When cooled top with your choice of cream cheese topping
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Pineapple Turnover Sponge Cake – Microwaved

June 18, 2011

By placing the pineapple rings in the bottom of the dish when turned out they appear at the top.

Ingredients

9 grams Caster Sugar
9 grams Flora margerine or softenend butter
9 grams Self Raising Flour
3 eggs
4 pineapple rings

  1. Cream the Caster sugar and the butter with a hand mixer
  2. Mix in the eggs
  3. Mix in a little flour
  4. Fold in the remaining flour
  5. Grease the sides of a dish
  6. Place the pineapple rings in the base of the dish
  7. Add the mixture over the top of the rings
  8. Place dish into microwave – off center and microwave at 50% for 7 minutes
  9. Microwave for a further 6-8 minutes on full power, turning dish 180 degrees every two minutes or so
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Liz’s moist APPLE cake

January 20, 2011

A moist apple cake that makes the whole house smell delicious!

Ingredients

  • 500g cored, peeled and diced apple
  • 2 eggs
  • 250ml vegetable oil
  • 400g caster sugar
  • 275g plain flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  1. Preheat oven to 180 C / Gas mark 4. Lightly grease and flour a 20x30cm cake tin
  2. Beat vegetable oil and eggs until foamy.
  3. Add the sugar, flour, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda, salt and vanilla; mixing well.
  4. Stir in the diced apples.
  5. Spoon mixture into a greased and floured baking tin.
  6. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes.
  7. Cool cake in tin for 10 minutes before removing.

This cake stores well and is quite quick and easy to make.

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Glazed LEMON Sponge Cake

January 16, 2011

This makes 2 Bread Tins plus a little extra which I pour onto a sheet of Waxed Greaseproof paper and bake with the bread tins but I remove the extra after about 15minutes as soon as its turned golden brown.

Ingredients

  • For the Sponge
  • 1 cup                          softened unsalted butter
  • 2 cups                        sugar
  • 3                                 large eggs
  • 2 cups                        plain natural low fat yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon             lemon rind (optional)
  • 3 tablespoons           lemon juice, fresh (2 UK lemons)
  • 1 tablespoon             pure vanilla essence
  • 3 cups                        all purpose flour (or self raising flour and no baking soda and no baking powder)
  • 1 1/4 heaped tspn   baking soda
  • 1 1/4 heaped tspn   baking powder
  • For the Glaze
  • 1 cup                       lemon juice (6 UK lemons, or 2 Maui Meyer lemons)
  • 3/4 cup                       powdered icing sugar
  • 2 teaspoons           pure vanilla essence
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F or 175C
  2. Grease tins with butter and flour
  3. Grate the lemons for the  zest for the sponge if using, and juice the lemons for the sponge (3 tablespoons) and the glaze (1 cup)
  4. Blend glaze ingredients together and leave to dissolve, stir occasionally until ready to use.
  5. Whisk the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl, with a mixer until just mixed, leave for sugar to disolve a little while..
  6. Sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda together in a small bowl and mix ingredients well
  7. Now continue to whisk the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy and the sugar is no longer gritty.
  8. Whisk in one egg one at a time until the third egg is mixed in well.
  9. Add all the yogurt, peel, lemon juice and vanilla into the center
  10. Whisk for about one minute until well blended and aired
  11. Do not over whisk, stop whisking if it begins to curdle
  12. Add the dry ingredients immediately, and then quickly fold in and then whisk in until well mixed.
  13. Scrape mixture into oiled and floured bread tins, spread so the center is slightly higher in the center.
  14. Bake at 350F (175C) 50-55 minutes.
  15. When cake is done, cool for 15 minutes in pan.
  16. Invert if you want to,  pierce cake all over and pour glaze slowly over cake so all it absorbs
  17. If the cake looks a little sunken in the center, Store upside down so it flattens the top a little
  18. If making ahead wrap in cling film while still warm and store up to 1 day. It freezes well.
  19. Delicious served warm with Vanilla Bean Haagen Daas Ice, or fresh whipped cream and strawberries

NOTE : Glaze can be poured on while cake still in baking trays – quicker and less messy

This is my version of Lindas Glazed Lemon Pound Cake, to see her original recipe view it on her website at www.LindasFavorites.com

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