Almond, Date and Maple Banana Bread

This recipe is a result of a few accidental adaptations of banana bread recipes. The alterations, based on the results, I would like to say came from a place of creative innovation but being honest, they were a very lucky outcomes of using whatever I had to hand in the cupboards. Nonetheless it seems to have created somewhat of a beast of a banana bread. The main differences to the average recipe is the use of almonds rather than walnuts, maple syrup instead of golden syrup and also the addition of self raising flour which seems to give it an extra lightness. I can’t really put my finger on why this works so well, but the almonds seem to give a kind of perfume that walnuts don’t equally achieve and the maple has a more distinctive flavor which makes everything that little bit more interesting.I will be having mine with seasonal rhubarb compote and a big spoonful of ice cream but it is equally as tasty when scoffed on the tube to work…

Ingredients

100g plain flour

75g self raising

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

150g caster sugar

125g unsalted butter

2 eggs

½ tsp finaly grated fresh ginger or 1 tsp dried ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

300g very ripe bananas, mashed

150g medjool dates, pitted and chopped

100g flaked almonds

1 tbsp Maple syrup

Method

Preheat oven to 170ºC

1) Sieve into a big bowl the flour, baking powder, sugar, bicarbonate of soda, spices and salt, then combine well with a wooden spoon. 

2) Put the butter, dates and maple syrup in a small saucepan over a low heat, keeping an eye on it so that it doesn't burn. When melted, add the mashed bananas and stir on the heat until they are properly coated. 

3) Take the pan of the heat and pour mixture into a big bowl, add the vanilla extract, then walnuts, and then whisk one egg in at a time. 

4) Bit by bit, add the dry mixture until just

5) Scrape into a lined loaf tin and bake in the middle of the oven for 1-1¼ hours. It may look slightly darker than expected around the sides but that’s just the maple syrup and dates working their magic.

Chilli Jelly

The result of this recipe is so impressive that its frankly shameful how easy it is to achieve. The consistency is a cross between a chilli sauce and mint jelly and the red peppers give it a unique and moreish sweetness. If you like like me enjoy yor, stick in a small red scotch bonnet chilli for an extra dimension - but at your discretion, the strength of those little things vary so air on the side of caution. It is exceptionally good at Christmas, alongside cheese & cold meats which is usually when I tend to make a batch. But, my favorite way to serve is by having it as an accompaniment to sea bass or any other white fish. Stored in a dark place they will last for up to 6 months.

Ingredients: Make: x6 250 ml jars 

   150 grams long fresh red chilli peppers deseeded

   150 grams red peppers deseeded 

   1 kilogram jam sugar

600 ml cider vinegar

Sterilise your jars by giving them a good rinse and then put in the oven on a baking tray for 15 minutes on 180 °

2.     Place the red peppers and chillis in a magimix and pulse, be sure not to just stick it on full whack as you only want to break them up so they are finely chopped – not a massive pulp.

3.     Place the jam sugar and cider vinegar in a wide heavy bottomed pan and keep on a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved

4.     Scrape the Chilli and Pepper confetti into the dissolved sugar and vinegar mixture

5.     Bring to the boil whilst resisting to stir (this is so you can achieve a nice clear jelly)

6.     Boil rapidly for about 15 minutes, if you have a jam thermometer your looking for the mixture to get to the magical 104° which is where Jam sets

7.     Take off the heat and leave to cool, after about an hour you will notice the jam getting gloopy which is what you want.

8.     Ladle into jars being sure to tightly screw on the lid

Maple French Toast with Nectarine Compote and Bacon

The combination of the sweet nectarines with the addition of bacon is something every brunch needs. To make this even easier you can make the compote the evening before and just heat up on the day whilst frying the french toast.

Enjoy! 

Ingredients:

(Serves 4) 

For the French toast:

v Small Loaf off farmhouse bread, thickly cut (2 pieces per person)

v 6 Eggs 

v Splash of milk

v ½ Tsp. of extract 

v ½ tsp. Cinnamon (optional

v Butter to fry

For the Nectarine Compote (can also use peaches/apples)

v 4 Nectarines 

v Drop of Vanilla Extract

v Tbsp. water (just enough to make a syrup don’t add too much!)

v 1 Tbsps. sugar 

Extras to Serve: 

v As much bacon as you fancy (3 pieces of streaky bacon per person seems sufficient)

v Apple (cored and cut into rings) (One ring per person)

v Punnet of blueberries

v Maple Syrup

Method:

Preheat the oven to about 160

1.     Peel the skin off the nectarines/peaches/apple and cut into segments – if using an apple you may want to cut them in half again.

2.     Pop the segments in a pan with the sugar, water and vanilla extract

3.     Put on a low heat and let it simmer for 10-30 minutes, you want the fruit to soften and a nice syrup to be created – if a bit watery turn up the heat and reduce it down.

4.     In a wide bowl whisk the eggs with the milk, vanilla and cinnamon.

5.     At this point get the bacon on (I do it in a pan)

6.     Heat a knob of butter in a pan

7.     Dip the bread into the eggy mixture and allow to soak each side for a moment.

8.     Fry the bread in the butter in batches on a medium heat – about 3 minutes each side, or until the bread goes a golden brown

9.     Put the cooked slices in the oven to keep warm whilst you do the rest of the bread

10.  Whilst doing the French toast, if serving with apple you can fry the rings of apple in the same pan as the bacon if there isn’t that much fat – for about 10 minutes. You just want them to soften and catch around the edges