Banana & Chocolate Bread

Great as a teatime snack, this delicious loaf is ideal for using up over ripe bananas!

• 250g self-raising flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1 level tsp baking powder
• 150g caster sugar
• 100g butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 small bananas, peeled
• 75g dark chocolate chips

13 x 23 cm (5 x 9in) loaf tin

1. Preheat the oven to 170C/325F, Gas mark 3. Lightly oil and line the loaf tin with parchment paper.
2. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the sugar and butter and, using your fingertips, rub it in until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
3. Whisk the eggs and vanilla extract in another bowl. Add the bananas and mash very well with a potato masher. Add the chocolate chips.
4. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the banana mixture. Gently but thoroughly bring all the ingredients together with a wooden spoon, then pour into the prepared loaf tin. Smooth the top and bake in the oven for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
5. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing the cake from the tin.

(Recipe taken from "Bake" by Rachel Allen)

Chocolate Cake

I made this cake as a birthday present for a friend, and it went down great! I cheated and used Betty Crocker frosting but I have included the recipe for a chocolate butter icing too. You can make the cake your own by adding things like orange rind or coffee powder.

For the cake:

• 125g dark chocolate
• 3 tbsp milk
• 150g butter, softened
• 150g caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 200g plain flour
• 1 tbsp good-quality cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda 

For the chocolate butter icing:

• 75g butter, softened
• 1 tbsp cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 175g icing sugar
• 1 tbsp good quality cocoa powder

Two 20cm diameter sandwich tins

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas mark 4. Butter and flour the sides of the sandwich tins and line the bases with greaseproof paper.
2. Place the chocolate and milk in a Bain-Marie and heat until the chocolate has melted.
3. Beat the butter until very soft then add the caster sugar and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then fold in the melted chocolate.
4. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and the bicarbonate of soda, then fold in gently to mix. Divide the mixture between the two tins and bake for about 25 minutes.
5. Remove the cakes from the oven and turn them out and cool.
6. While the cakes are cooling, make the icing. Beat the butter, cream and vanilla extract until very soft. Then gradually sift in the icing sugar and the cocoa powder, beating all the time, until it is all added. Continue to beat until very soft, then whisk the mixture until it is light and fluffy. 
7. Once the cakes are cool, sandwich them together with the chocolate butter icing. 

(Recipe taken from "Bake" by Rachel Allen)

Croissants

After watching "The Great British Bake Off" last night I felt inspired to tackle something a little more challenging. So what better than the French breakfast classic, the croissant. I used too much yeast so when I left the croissants to rise they completely unraveled! But I just rerolled them and they seem to have turned out all right.

• 275ml milk
• 25g sugar
• 1 x 7g sachet fast-acting yeast or 15g fresh yeast
• 450g strong white flour
• 275g salted butter, softened
• 1 egg, whisked with 1 tsp milk

1. In a small saucepan, heat the milk until warm, remove from the heat and stir in the sugar and the yeast. Allow to sit for 5 minutes to get slightly frothy.
2. Sift the flour into a large bowl and rub in 50g of the butter. Add the milk and yeast and mix to a dough. Knead until smooth - for 8-10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes in a food mixer. Cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for 2 hours.
3. Beat the remaining butter with a rolling pin into a thin slab, about 8mm thick, between cling film. Take the dough out of the fridge and, dusting the work surface and the top of the dough with flour, roll into a rectangle about 20 x 40cm. Using a pastry brush, brush off any excess flour.
4. Place the butter on one half of the rectangle about 2.5cm from the edges, and fold the other half over it. Roll out the dough into another rectangle of roughly the same size as before and fold in three. Cover with cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.
5. With the open ends facing towards and away from you, roll out the pastry again, and fold in three. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave for 15 minutes.
6. Roll into a rectangle once more and fold in three again.
7. Roll out the pastry to 1/2cm thick, 35cm wide and as long as possible - about 55cm. Trim the edges and cut in half lengthways. From each long thin rectangle cut out approximately 9 triangles: the base of each should be about 15cm wide.
8. Starting at the base, roll towards the tip of each triangle and curve the edges inwards slightly. Place on a baking tray spaced slightly apart. Brush gently with some of the egg wash and put in a warm place to prove for 30-45 minutes. When doubled in size, gently brush with egg again.
9. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas mark 7. Place the croissants in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180C/350F/Gas mark 4 and bake for 10 more minutes until crisp and golden brown.

(Recipe taken from "Bake" by Rachel Allen)

Oat & Raisin Cookies

These are simple, delicious and nutritious. What more could you want from a cookie! Feel free to substitute the raisins for chocolate chips if you're not a fan of raisins.

• 115g butter
• 115g caster sugar and 115g soft brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 115g plain flour
• 115g raisins
• 250g porridge oats

1. Preheat the oven to 180C and grease 2 baking trays or line with greaseproof paper.
2. Cream the butter until soft. Beat in the sugar.
3. Beat the egg with the water and vanilla extract, then add this to the butter mixture.
4. Stir the flour, raisins and oats into the butter mixture and mix until a dough forms.
5. Roll walnut sized balls, place on a tray and flatten.
6. Bake for 15 minutes.

(Recipe from "Bake" by Rachel Allen)

Mini Victoria Sponges

These are adorable and perfect for a tea party. The strawberry compote is made by cooking strawberries down with a little sugar and can be kept in the fridge for weeks (and is delicious with porridge!).

• 125g butter, softened
• 125g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 150g plain flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• strawberry compote or any jam
• cream cheese and icing sugar, or whipped cream

1. Preheat the oven to 190C and prepare 8 muffin cases.
2. Cream the butter with an electric whisk. Add the sugar and vanilla extract and beat until fluffy.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating continuously. Sift in the flour and baking powder and mix.
4. Divide between the muffin cases and bake for 8-12 minutes.
5. When cool cut in half and layer compote and cream cheese, or make butterfly buns. Be creative!

(Recipe from "Bake" by Rachel Allen) 

Apple and Bramble Pie

I made this delicious apple pie today with a decorative top. The filling is very adaptable, I used Braeburn apples instead of cooking and blueberries instead of blackberries. Other possible additions are cinnamon, orange or lemon zest, dark muscovado sugar, cranberries or raspberries.

 For the sweet shortcrust pastry:

• 225g plain flour
• a pinch of salt
• 60g caster sugar
• 125g unsalted butter, chilled and diced
• about 3 tbsp ice-cold water

 For the filling:

• 900g Bramley or other cooking apples
• 200g blackberries
• about 3 tbsp caster sugar
• 3 tbsp water

a deep pie dish, about 1 litre

1. Sift the flour, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl or pulse in a food processor. Add the diced butter and rub in or process, until the mixture looks like fine crumbs. Stir in enough ice-cold water to bind the mixture to a soft but not sticky dough.
2. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill for 15 minutes while preparing the fruit. Heat the oven to 200C/400F/gas 6. Peel, core and thickly slice the apples and put them into a mixing bowl. Rinse the blackberries and add to the apples with the sugar. Toss gently until combined, then pile the fruit into the pie dish, mounding it well in the centre so it supports the pastry and spoon over the water. 
3. Roll out the pastry on a floured work surface to an oval about 7cm larger all round than the dish. Cut off a strip of pastry about 1cm wide and long enough to fit around the rim of the dish. Dampen the rim of the dish and press the pastry strip on to it. Dampen the pastry rim. Roll the pastry around the rolling pin and lift it over the dish, then gently lay the dough over the dish so it completely covers the pie. Press the dough on to the pastry rim to seal the lid to the dish. Trim off the excess dough to make decorations. 'Knock up' the edges of the pastry and make a scalloped or fluted rim. Stick any decorations to the top with water and cut a couple of small steam-holes.
4. Bake in the heated oven for about 30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and crisp.

(Recipe taken from "The Great British Book of Baking" by Linda Collister)