Crunchy Top Banana Bread

This recipe is fairly low in sugar and fat content, without compromising on the taste. The moistness and sweetness being provided by the bananas. The crunchy walnuts on top adds a nice texture.

Ingredients

4 ripe large bananas, mashed

½ cup brown sugar

2 cups plain flour sifted

1 tsp bicarb soda

½ cup oats

¾ cup walnuts, roughly chopped

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ cup vegetable oil

Method

1.     Line a loaf pan with greaseproof paper. Preheat fan forced oven to 160C.

2.     Mix mashed bananas, beaten eggs, oil and vanilla extract in a large bowl.

3.     Add the flour, bicarb soda, oats and sugar.

4.     Mix well, and add ½ of the walnuts at the end of the mixing process.

5.     Pour into loaf pan, sprinkle the rest of the walnuts on the top.

6.     Bake for 45-50 mins in 160C oven.

Banana Walnut Bread

What to do with 3 large over-ripe bananas? The DH voted for banana bread. This is a modified recipe from Exclusively Food.

Ingredients

1 cup plain flour

1 cup wholemeal flour

1 tsp baking powder

¾ cup brown sugar

1 cup toasted chopped walnuts

1 ½ cups mashed over-ripe bananas

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup plain yoghurt

85g melted butter

Method

1.          Preheat oven to 160C.

2.          Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

3.          Lightly beat the eggs, stir in all the other wet ingredients.

4.          Mix the dry and wet ingredients together.

5.          Bake in a loaf pan for 1 hour at 160C.

Buttermilk Dates Scones

We have some leftover cream and buttermilk, what to do?

Easy answer, freshly baked warm buttermilk dates scones with big lashings of strawberry jam and a dollop of whipped cream. Yum!

Ingredients

2 ½ cup self raising flour

30g butter

1 tbsp castor sugar

100g of chopped dates

1 ¼ cup buttermilk

Extra flour for dusting the bench top

Method

1.          Preheat oven to 200°C.

2.          Put the flour and sugar in a large mixing bowl.

3.          Use your fingertips to work the butter into the flour to resemble breadcrumbs.

4.          Make a well in the middle.

5.          Pour the buttermilk in the well.

6.          Use a knife to cut the buttermilk through the flour, add in the dates.

7.          When it is fairly well mixed, dust the bench top with flour.

8.          Knead the dough lightly on the floured bench, just enough to hold it together. Do not overmix.

9.          Pat it down to2cm thickness.

10.      Use a 58mm diameter cookie cutter to press out the shapes.

11.      Place them on a tray together just touching the sides.

12.      Brush the top with a little milk.

13.      Bake for 15 minutes.

Healthy Apple Loaf

This is a healthy version, good for your conscience. Unlike a lot of health food, this doesn’t taste like bird food, it is actually nice.

Ingredients

1 cup wholemeal self raising flour

¾ cup self raising flour

¼ vegetable oil

2 eggs, lightly beaten

½ cup buttermilk

2 large apples, grated

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp allspice

¾ cup brown sugar

Optional ½ cup frozen raspberry (I forgot to put them in today)

Method

1.          Preheat oven to 170°C.

2.          Mix all dry ingredients together.

3.          Add eggs, oil, grated apples and buttermilk.

4.          Mix till even.

5.          Spread into a loaf pan and bake for 35 minutes.

Soft Bread Rolls

Hotdog rolls.

I’ve been coveting other bloggers’ soft bread rolls made using the Tangzhong (water roux) method. I finally have the chance to try it out. This is my second attempt, the ones on the first try didn’t rise as much, and the oven was too hot. The bottom line is I’m improving. I used my breadmaker to do the kneading.

I used Christine's Recipes. See her step by step instruction for making tangzhong and how to wrap the sausage rolls.

Raisin scolls.

Ingredients

For the Tangzhong/water roux

250ml water

50g bread flour

For the Bread

125ml milk

1 egg (56g)

120g tangzhong

350g high protein flour/bread flour/00 flour

55g caster sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp + 1 tsp milk powder

6g dried instant yeast

30g softened butter

Method

To make the Tangzhong/water roux

1.          Heat water and flour in a pan on the stove.

2.          Keep stirring until the temperature reaches 65°C.

3.          Cool down before use. You can keep this in the refrigerator for a few days.

To make the bread in a breadmaker

1.          Put the ingredients into the breadmaker in this sequence. Milk, egg, tangzhong, flour, sugar, milk powder, sprinkle salt on the side.

2.          Make a well in the middle of the flour and put yeast in the middle.

3.          Start the machine to knead on “dough” setting.

4.          After 30mins, pour in the softened butter.

5.          After rising the dough to double its size, knock it down and divide into portions.

6.          Be creative with the shapes and flavours.

7.          After shaping, let it rise again for about 15 minutes.

8.          Brush top with a bit of eggwash.

9.          Bake in 180°C fan forced oven for 15minutes.

Cheese sticks.

Strawberry Bread

Strawberries are in abundance right now at the shops, and they’re packed full of flavours too. I spotted this recipe a while ago while browsing the net and had it written down in my “need to try” notebook.

Ingredients

125g butter, softened

½ cup brown sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups self raising flour

½ tsp salt

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ cup sour cream

1 ½ cups strawberries, chopped

 

Method

1.         Preheat fan force oven to 160°C and grease a loaf pan.

2.         Cream butter and sugar until light.

3.         Add eggs and vanilla extract.

4.         Sift all the dry ingredients into the egg and butter mixture.

5.         Stir in the sour cream.

6.         Lastly, stir in the chopped strawberries.

7.         Bake 40 minutes in 160°C fan force oven.

  

What is your favourite morning tea treat?

Pear and Raspberry Bread Café Style

I spotted some thick slices of this bread on offer in a café yesterday morning, but didn’t have time to sit down and order it. This is my own recipe adapted from various online sources. The bread itself is dairy free if you omit the granola toppings or substitute the butter with margarine. It provides a change from the usual banana bread, and given the prices of bananas at the moment, there aren’t many over-ripe bananas lying around the house to be used in baking. This is quite a health food, the pear keeps the bread moist and provides a natural sweetness.

Ingredients

1 cup self-raising flour

½ cup whole meal flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ cup brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ cup vegetable oil

1 egg lightly beaten

1 pear peeled and diced

1 pear grated

½ cup frozen raspberries

For the granola toppings:

¼ cup rolled oats

¼ cup plain flour

30g butter chilled

¼ cup demarara sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Method

1.          Preheat oven to 160°C.

2.          Sift the flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Mix all the dry ingredients together.

3.          Mix in the wet ingredients, the pears (diced and grated) and lastly the frozen raspberry.

4.          Spread into a loaf pan.

5.          To make the granola toppings, scrunch all the ingredients together with your fingertips.

6.          Sprinkle on the bread loaf and bake in 160°C oven for 1 hour.

Potato Bread Rolls

I made the dough in my breadmaker that I bought for $30 off Ebay. Making bread gives one a satisfying feeling. The smell of freshly baked bread brings a warmth to the home. (That's what the real estate people say anyway). I find the kneading and rolling actions quite therapeutic if you have had a stressful week.

This quantity will make about 20 small rolls or a 2 lb loaf.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup water
3 tbsp oil
3/4 mashed potatoes (you can substitute pumpkin)
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
4 cups bread flour (or 00 flour)
2 tbsp milk powder
11/2 tsp dried yeast

Method:

1. If you have a breadmaker, simply add the ingredients in the order listed.
2. Select the dough function.
3. When the cycle stops remove dough and divide into portions.
4. Knead and shape into round rolls.
5. Leave in a warm place for 30 minutes until doubled in size.
6. Brush top with a bit of milk, sprinkle on the topping.
7. Bake in a preheated oven at 200C for 15 minutes.