Baking: Banana Bread

Banana Bread
– Dairy free!


I freeze this and toast it for breakfast with the "defrost" function. To get the size in the photo, spilt mixture into two loaf tins instead of one.



Ingredients:
4 Large Bananas
3 Smallish Eggs
150g Sugar
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Cup Rolled Oats (Optional)
1/2 Cup Shredded Coconut
250g Flour
2 ½ Teaspoons baking powder

Preheat oven to 180C.

Combine wet ingredients. Sift in dry. Fold together to just combined. Do not over mix.

Bake in large loaf pan for 1hr 15 minutes.

Note: You can sprinkle the top with chopped walnuts and brown sugar to make that extra bit special

Biscuits, Cookies and Slices: Ginger Anzac Biscuits

Ginger Anzac Biscuits

I am not a huge Anzac Biscuit fan but I love the kick of Ginger these give. I also put at least 1 1/2 teaspoons in.  

Ingredients:

100g Butter

2 Tablespoons Golden Syrup

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

½ Teaspoon Baking Soda

2 Tablespoons Boiling Water

½ Cup Plain Flour

1-2 Teaspoon Ground Ginger

1 Cup Shreaded Coconut

1 Cup Rolled Oats

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C.

Melt butter together golden syrup in a large heavy based pot (this could alternatively be done in a glass bowl in the microwave).

Once melted remove from heat and add remaining ingredients with the exception of the boiling water and baking soda. Mix until almost combined.

Mix together boiling water and baking soda in a separate small bowl and add to other mixture. Mix until just combined. (mixture should not be to firm but kind of sticky, if this is not the case add a tablespoon or so extra melted butter)

Place teaspoonfuls spaced out well on a baking paper lined tray and bake for 10 – 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Let cool on tray for a few minutes before transferring them to cooling rack to fully cool.

Baking: Maple Syrup Scones

Maple Syrup Scones


I prefer 1 1/2 Tablespoons of Maple Syrup in these to allow the syrup flavour to come through but not be over powering. I have also made these many times with plain sugar so they may be served with strawberry jam and cream. However my favourite is Maple Syrup Scones with butter and a very light spread of raspberry jam (so you can still taste the hint of maple syrup).


These take five minutes to make and fifteen to cook. They are very easy!

Ingredients:

2 Cups Flour

3 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1- 2 Tablespoon Maple Syrup or Sugar (optional)

100g Butter

3/4 - 1 Cup Milk (about - enough to bind)

3 Tablespoons Milk (extra)


Preheat oven to 180C.

Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl. Grate in butter.

Use fingers to break up butter further (crumble it in).

Add milk and mix until combined with a metal spon.

Pour mixture out onto lined tray and shape into circle. Cut circle into eight sections, then transfer each section out on metal tray.

Brush some extra milk over scone sections with a pastry brush.

Bake for about fifteen minutes until golden brown on top.

Cool on wire rack. Best served warm with butter, jam and cream.

Biscuits, Cookies and Slices: Chewy Ginger Crunch

Chewy Ginger Crunch

This is a variation of Jo Segars Wholemeal Ginger Crunch, but its not wholemeal. 

My favourite Ginger Crunch is still the classic Edmonds, however this competes which a more modern chewy twist.

Ingredients:

Base:

150 grams Butter

2 Tablespoons Golden Syrup

3/4 Cup Brown Sugar

3/4 Cup Shredded Coconut

1 1/2 Cups Rolled Oats

3/4 Cup Plain Flour

2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

3 Teaspoons Ginger

Icing:

100 gram Butter

6 Tablespoons Golden Syrup

2 Cups Icing Sugar

2 Teaspoons Ground Ginger

Preheat oven to 180C.

Place butter, brown sugar and Golden syrup in a heavy-based pot over a medium heat until butter is melted.

Remove from heat and mix in rest of base ingredients and pour into a lined 20 x 30 cm tin.

Cook in oven for fifteen minutes or until brown (watch).

Remove from oven and leave to cool.

Place butter, golden syrup and vanilla in a heavy based pot over a medium heat until the butter is melted.

Remove from heat. Add ginger and icing sugar and whisk (to avoid any lumps, as I am not a big fan of sifting) till smooth.

Pour icing sugar over base, and leave to cool for half an hour.

Cut into slices in tin when just warm and icing semi-set.

Mains: Barbecue Marinade

Barbecue Marinade

This can be used the marinate chicken, lamb or pork. My favorite is chicken drums on the BBQ.

Ingredients:
1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
2 Tablespoons Fennel Seeds
Sea salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Bunch Fresh Rosemary
1 Lemon, juiced
5 cloves Garlic
2 teaspoons Smoked Paprika
2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
2 tablespoon Sweet Chili Sauce
4 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Whole Grain Mustard
1/2 cup BBQ Sauce – I prefer Masterfoods

Method:
In a mortar and pestle grind cumin seeds, fennel seeds, rosemary, garlic, smoke paprika until statsified with the rough paste texture.

Season with pepper and salt and add balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sweet chili sauce, mustard, soy sauce and lemon juice. Mix. Finally mix in the BBQ sauce.

Pour over meat and allow to marinate. The longer the better, i.e. ideally at least a few hours.

Sliced Chicken Breast Marinating  

Lunch or Quick Dinner: Easy Peasy Pasta

Easy Peasy Pasta

This is a recipe that my mother used to make us when we were little. It is always a little messy and flings onto the table, no matter how carefully you eat it. It is essentially white sauce with cheese and a few other bits which are normally lying around the pantry.

Ingredients:
200 g Fresh Fettuccine
30g Butter
2 Tablespoons Flour
1 Cup Milk (perhaps more)
1/2 Cup Cheese, Grated 
½ Red Onion, Chopped
2 Spring Onions. Sliced
4 Rashers Bacon, Grilled and Chopped
5 or 6 Mushrooms, Sliced
¼ - ½ Teaspoon Wholegrain Mustard
Pepper and Salt

Method:
Cook pasta as directed by packet. Drain, leaving a little water in the bottom of the pot.

Melt butter in a heavy based saucepan, add flour and stir (making roux). Continue to stir for about 2 minutes to insure the flour is cooked and avoid it tasting bitter.

Add about ½ cup of milk and stir. Add whole grain mustard, bacon, red onion and mushrooms. Add the rest of the milk, enough still is a runny consistency.

Add pasta to sauce and toss. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve in bowl with the spring onions sprinkled on top.

Puddings: Butterscotch Crème Brulee (B&B Brulee)

Butterscotch & Berry Crème Brulee (B&B Brulee)

This is an adaption of a Ruth Pretty recipe. I have made it many times, including for Christmas a few years ago. It never ceases to turn out as expected and impress the crowds.

The finished product!

Ingredients:

6 Egg yolk, Whisked Well
¼ Cup Brown sugar, Firmly Packed
1 Cup Milk
2 Cups Cream
½ Cup Sugar
½ Cup Water
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Paste
1 Cup Frozen Berries/Plums (Optional)
½ Cup Sugar (Extra)

Method:

Preheat oven to 150°C.

Heat brown sugar, milk and cream in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar.

While brown sugar/cream mixture is heating, stir sugar and water over low heat in a heavy-base saucepan to dissolve. Increase with heat and bring to the boil, and do not stir.
(TIP: Use a silicon pastry brush dipped in water run around the sides of the pan which removes the sugar crystal build up and insures a nice smooth even toffee)

When ready to serve sprinkle with a teaspoon or so of sugar and use a blow torch to caramelise.

Carefully pour toffee into cream mixture (do this slowly so mixture does not spilt).

Whisk slowly the yolks into the mixture. Add vanilla beam paste, essence and salt.

Place a few frozen raspberries in the bottom of each ramekin. Follow this by pouring the mixture into the ramekins and placing them in a baymaire in the oven for 40 minutes.

Take brulee out and cool in fridge for at least four hours.

Intro

Hello and Welcome.

I am not really sure what this blog is going to turn into but I plan to share a few of my favourite recipes.