Weave a Thousand Flavors

The Sunday Baker ~ Wholegrain, Banana, Pumpkin Hazelnut Maple Loaf

 

I'm feeling quite discombobulated this first week of the New Year, not quite in the groove yet after the long winter break.

And so there is only one thing left to do - bake!

It perhaps has something to do with the oh! so brown bananas that forever seem to stare at me out of the fruit bowl. In fact, it seems that most of my baking involves rescuing bananas. That and half eaten cans of pureed pumpkin.

Now I know that decorum suggests that I shelve all pumpkin related eats with the advent of winter but since when have I ever tried to color in the lines!

So as long as cold weather persists and thank goodness, I have at least a good two months offering such a window of opportunity, I intend to pumpkin away as and when my heart desires.

And quite honestly, though this would be wonderful in autumn, why deny oneself the pleasure of banana, pumpkin, hazelnuts and maple all rolled into one delish loaf this winter's day?

Three B's to a Loaf ~ Buttermilk, Banana & Blueberry

When the tin box in the kitchen, housing weekly baked goodies runs scant, I have no choice but to get baking.

Because if you've got growing boys around you, you know that hunger seems to be their constant companion. Not withstanding the times when I am sure they are feigning.

For example, right after they've been fed breakfast and we are doing weekend errands. As the scent of grilled meat from a near by restaurant wafts through the the air,

" I am soooo hungry Mom"

"How can that be? We just ate breakfast"

" Mother, are you seriously going to starve your first born son?"

"What did you say?"

I am chuckling now and my 10 year son repeats himself to which he adds,

" Mother, you do know that it is perfectly normal for me to be hungry all the time, since I am going through puberty".

"And were we not going through puberty an hour ago, when you only ate one french toast?"

So you see my dilemma, a near empty box of goodies will only mean more such conversations and so this is a perfect time as any to make a fruit filled loaf.

And since one can never ever have enough recipes featuring brown, overripe bananas, I consider it serendipitous that  I have three such specimens on my counter top as we speak.

As far as I'm concerned, banana bread is a treat either way - becoming all the more special when served with a dollop of lemon curd or marmalade and just heavenly when studded with sweet, purple blueberries.

Between that, mushy bananas and puberty, what chance does a mother stand!

The Simple Joys of Life : Banana & Fresh Cranberry Bread

I take joy in life's little pleasures - kids off to school happy, on time and without a fuss, a string of green lights on my daily commute, no one ramming their shopping cart into mine, a day where no surprise and unexpected bills show up, Mr. Hubby back on time - these are the good days.

Days made only better when you set a cake in the oven and hold your breath just for a second as the timer goes off. Gleeful at the sight of beautiful, rounded perfectly golden top. On such days nothing makes the day complete than fixing that cuppa, cutting  into a warm, soft slice of cake, sitting on the patio and watching the world go by.

So you see, this cake is about life's simple pleasures - a cake so perfect in intense banana flavor, with a touch of tang, soft and heavenly that it is a reminder that some of the best things is life are simple, honest and baked.

Go on, remind yourself.

15 Minute Superlative Breakfast Oatmeal ~ Old Fashioned Oats cooked with Orange Juice, Dates & Bananas

It's official - I can't take a good oatmeal picture worth its salt!

Lets blame it on the cloudy sky, an off day but please don't let my lame photography skills stop you from making one of the most delicious oatmeal creations you'll ever end up putting in your mouth. Guaranteed.

Old fashioned oats are cooked in freshly squeezed orange juice with nutmeg & chopped dates. To which is added brown sugar, butter & mashed bananas. Yummm......

Also,what a great way to use bananas  on their last legs - that's exactly what you need for this dish - ridiculously overripe bananas.

 Added incentive? 15 minutes to fix and dairy free for all those lactose intolerant & 'dairy-avoiding' folks out there.

So with the weekend here, what's your excuse?

Goofball Alert, Homemade Toffee {Dulce de Leche} & Banoffee Pie from England

Banoffee pie which as the name suggests is essentially a shortcrust pastry topped with homemade toffee filling i.e. dulce de leche, bananas and whipped cream is an English classic.

It is also a recipe that shouldn't be made by goofballs!

By that I mean, people who cannot, will not or simply don't believe in following directions to save their lives, people who leave stuff on the stove and fall asleep or worse walk out the door for a shopping spree.

What's really getting my knickers in a twist is this bit - the homemade toffee, dulce de leche which is essential as the filling.

How to make home made dulce de leche a.k.a toffee filling?

It involves these steps to be followed meticulously - The evening before fixing the pie, roughly 3 hours before going to bed:

1) Use 2 unopened cans of sweetened condensed milk

2) Use a large stock pot and immerse the 2 unopened cans of condensed milk in water. Make sure there is 9 inches of water above the surface of the cans. Cover the stockpot with a tight fitting lid.

3) On medium high heat, simmer the cans for 3 hours. Use a timer to keep track.

4) On the hour, every hour, keep checking to ensure there is at least 6 inches of water above the top of the cans. Replace with hot water as needed.

Goofball alert!* 
It is absolutely vital to top up the pot of boiling water as needed during the cooking process. 3 hours is a long time and if allowed to boil dry, the cans will explode guaranteeing a trip to E.R. with risk to life, limbs and kitchen ceilings!

5) After 3 hours, turn the stove off, leave well alone and go to bed.

6) Remove the cans from the water the next morning, open and what you will end up with is this -

......absolutely perfect, delicious, creamy soft toffee, dulce de leche filling

And this dearies is step uno to this ~

 

Absolutely decadent & Utterly Delicious Banoffee Pie

Invented in East Sussex, England at the Hungry Monk in 1972, Banoffee Pie is even rumored to be Margaret Thatcher’s favourite pudding. The recipe followed in this post is based on the original recipe from the publication ‘The Deeper Secrets of the Hungry Monk’ in 1974. 

There are cooks who advocate cooking the condensed milk in a pyrex dish for hours in the oven but in my experience it results in a tough and hard toffee filling that is impossible to cut through once the pie is chilled and at the risk of your teeth falling out of your head.

The 'cooked can' method used here to make the toffee is widely used all over the U.K and is original to the 'Hungry Monk' recipe.

Cook's Note - The toffee, dulce de leche can be made a week in advance and stored in a airtight plastic container in the refrigerator till ready to use. Unopened cans of toffee  (the cooked cans) can be stored in the pantry cabinet for upto 3 months and is a great way to always have the fixings of Banoffee pie at hand for that last minute craving or unannounced company.