Sunday 8 January 2017

Best banana chocolate cake




1 cup (200g) caster sugar) - 3/4 cup (165g) if using semisweet chocolate for the ganache
1 cup (140g) plain flour
1/3 cup (35g) unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg (about 550g)
1 very large ripe banana, mashed
1/2 cup (120ml) warm water
1/4 cup (60ml) milk
1/4 cup (60ml) vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Ganache:
140g semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup (100ml) heavy whipping cream
1/2 tablespoon (7g) salted butter

Greased 20cm x 20cm square cake tin.

1. Preheat oven to 180 C.

2. In a large bowl, sift in flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Mix well.

3. In another bowl, add in mashed banana, egg, milk, warm water, oil and vanilla. Mix well.

4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mix until just combined. Do not over mix.

5. Pour into a greased cake tin and bake for 25 minutes or until skewer comes out clean. 

6. Cool cake in the tin on a wire rack. Remove from the tin.

7. Melt all ganache ingredients in a bowl over simmering water. Let it cool a little before spreading over cake. 

8. Top with chopped nuts ( I used pistachios) and let it set in fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Recipe from Bearnaked Food.


Easy Quiche



Pie crust

1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons salted butter (very cold)
1-2 tablespoons ice water

Filling

3 eggs
3/4 cup cream
1 cup grated cheddar
1 cup chopped ham
Salt & pepper

1. Add flour, salt and butter to a food processor until it resembles breadcrumbs.

2. Add water and pulse a few times till it just comes together.

3. Pour into a board and combine into a disc. Do not knead. Chill for 1 hour.

4. Pre-heat oven to 200 C. 

5. Roll out pie dough and transfer to a 9 inch pie tin. Place baking paper over with pie weights or beans and bake for 12 - 14 mins. Remove the weights and paper and bake for another 8-10 mins.

6. Cool the pie crust. Combine all filling ingredients and pour into the pie crust.

7. Bake for 45 mins.

Banana Bread

1/2 cup salted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3-4 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 180 C

2. Grease and flour a loaf tin.

3. Cream butter and sugar.

4. Add eggs to the butter and sugar one at a time.

5. Add mashed banana and vanilla.

6. Sift in the flour, baking soda and salt.

7. Combine but do not over mix.

8. Pour into the loaf tin and bake for 1 hour.