Category: Baking

Baking · Gluten Free

Maple and rum baked bananas with toasted hazelnuts and pistachios

Belinda

Bananas become soft and caramelized when baked in foil – add rum, maple syrup and toasted nuts into the mix and you’ve got a wonderful dessert that takes only minutes to prepare.

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Serves 4
2 unpeeled bananas
25g (1/2 oz) softened butter
1 tbsp soft light brown sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp white rum
a handful each of shelled hazelnuts and pistachios
a dollop or two of Greek yogurt

Heat the oven to 375F
Put a sheet of non-stick baking paper on top of a sheet of foil.
Slice the unpeeled bananas in half lengthways and put them in the center of the paper/foil.
Spoon the softened butter, sugar, maple syrup and white rum over the bananas, then wrap tightly in the paper/foil. Transfer to a roasting tray, then bake for 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a non-stick frying pan, gently toast the hazelnuts and pistachios until golden, then roughly chop.
Unwrap the baked bananas and serve, still in their skins, with the juices spooned over, sprinkled with the chopped nuts and a dollop or two of greek yogurt.

Accompaniments · Baking · Egg based

Savory Dutch baby

Belinda

This savory Dutch baby is like Yorkshire pudding meets a popover meets a gougère, flavored with browned butter, Parmesan and thyme.
You can serve it for brunch, pancake style. Or try it as an hors d’oeuvre. Bring the whole thing out to your guests and let them tear it apart with their hands. Salty, cheesy and delicious.

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1 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
8 large eggs
¾ cup whole milk
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme
2 tbsp minced chives, parsley or tarragon
6 tbsp unsalted butter
¾ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Gruyère
Flaky sea salt, for garnish
Sriracha, for serving (optional)
Lemon wedges, for serving

Heat oven to 425 degrees.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt and pepper.
In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and milk.
Whisk wet ingredients into dry until just combined. Stir in thyme and the other herbs.
Melt the butter in a heavy 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Let it cook until it smells nutty and browns, about 5 to 7 minutes, then swirl skillet so that butter coats bottom of pan.
Pour batter into pan and scatter cheese and flaky salt over the top.
Bake until puffed and golden, about 25 minutes.
Serve with sriracha and lemon wedges on the side.

Baking · Breakfast · Do-ahead

Mrs. Myers’ sweet and moist banana bread

Belinda1 Comment

Author c/o Alexandra Stafford from “Alexandra’s Kitchen”

Overripe bananas freeze beautifully — just peel them and place them in a ziplock bag in the freezer. When you’re ready to use them, place them in a colander in the sink to drain — they’ll give up a lot of liquid and look totally repulsive, but they work beautifully.

To make homemade buttermilk: place 2 teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup. Fill cup with milk until it reaches the 1/2-cup line. Let stand for five minutes.

Loaf Pans: I use a 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pan for this recipe. You need two pans for this recipe.

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Yield 2

2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
3 cups sifted flour (I never sift)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. table salt
5 eggs (I use 4)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup nuts (I never add nuts)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 quart mashed bananas, about 8 (ripe to overripe)

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Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Butter two loaf pans. (I butter generously.)
In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.
With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the vanilla, buttermilk and bananas.
Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Divide batter between the two prepared pans. Bake for approximately 1 hour.
Remove from oven and turn loaves out onto cooling rack immediately.
Let cool.

Baking · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Vegan

Plant-based quinoa, broccoli bake

Belinda

Recipe c/o Simply Quinoa

This easy recipe is high in protein, naturally gluten-free and so simple to make. The recipe can also be customized with whatever veggies you’d like!

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1 cup white quinoa (uncooked)
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 – 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup cashew cream* (See notes at bottom)
3 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup vegan cheese (optional)
Tahini dressing to drizzle (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a baking dish, combine all the ingredients except for the broccoli.
Mix them all together so the ingredients are evenly combined in the dish. Add the broccoli. Top with vegan cheese if desired.
Bake on the center rack for 40 – 50 minutes until the quinoa is cooked and it’s no longer liquidy.

Cool for 5 – 10 minutes, then scoop and serve. Drizzle with tahini or hot sauce and enjoy!

* To make cashew cream:
Add 1/2 cup raw cashews into a bowl and cover with 2 cups of hot water. Soak for at least 30 minutes. Rinse then add to a blender with 1 1/4 cups water. Blend on high until smooth and creamy!

Baking · Chocolate · Holiday Food

Easy brown butter ginger chocolate chip skillet cookie

Belinda

This is the quickest recipe you will ever find, it’s literally a dump everything in and stir, which is always a good thing on my book.
If you’ve never tried something with ginger and chocolate before, then you are missing out—the flavors go together like a dream and this case is no exception. The result is a cookie that is crispy and yet chewy in the middle, with a gingery background that is addictive. Plus, it’s a one pot wonder and who doesn’t like that?

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SERVES 8

1 cup or 2 sticks (200 g) unsalted butter
1 cup (215 g) packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (90 g) granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground ginger
1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk
2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
5 oz (150 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Preheat your oven to 375° F and grease very well an 8-inch cake pan, or just use a similarly-sized cast iron skillet.
Melt your butter in a pan that is large enough to hold the rest of the ingredients, on a very low heat, until it becomes brown and fragrant (it’ll be a very nutty aroma), stirring it occasionally, should take about 7 minutes or so.

Into that same pan, add both sugars, salt, and ground ginger and mix well with a wooden spoon. Remove the mixture from the flame and allow to cool to room temperature (otherwise your egg will cook once added!).

Add the egg and egg yolk, mixing until combined. Then add your flour, bicarbonate of soda and mix until just incorporated, then add the chopped chocolate and fold it in.

Dump the cookie dough into your prepared pan or skillet, flattening it with the spoon or your hands until even.
Bake it for around 18 to 20 minutes, or until cooked through.
Cut it while it’s still hot, and let it cool for a few minutes before serving.

Appetizers · Baking · Holiday Food · Meat · Nuts

Stilton, date and walnut sausage rolls

Belinda

These cook-from-frozen sausage rolls make entertaining a breeze. Love the combination of salty sausage meat and stilton with sweet dates. Give them a go and watch them disappear in seconds.
Recipe c/o Delicious Magazine

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Makes 24
2oz (50g) walnut halves
18 oz (500g) puff pastry, chilled
Plain flour for dusting
1lb (350g-400g) pork sausage meat or 6 good quality free-range pork sausages, skins removed
(5oz)150g stilton cheese, rind removed and crumbled
3.5oz (100g) (about 5) pitted Medjool dates, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp freshly chopped flat leaf parsley
1 medium free-range egg, lightly beaten
Butter for greasing

Heat the oven to 400F/200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.
Spread the walnuts out on a baking tray and toast for 6 minutes. Remove and leave to cool, then coarsely chop.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 16″ (40cm) x 11″ (26cm) rectangle, then cut in half lengthways to make two long strips.
Put the pork sausage meat, walnuts, stilton, dates and parsley in a mixing bowl, then mix together with your hands until well combined. Divide the mixture in half and shape each half on a sheet of cling film to make 2 long sausage shapes the same length as your pastry.
Lay one sausage down the centre of each piece of pastry, brush 1 edge of the pastry with a little beaten egg, fold over the pastry and press the edges together to seal. Mark along the edge with the tines of a fork. Cut each strip across to make 12 rolls (see Make Ahead) or chill, spaced slightly apart, on buttered baking sheets, loosely covered with cling film, until ready to bake.
Brush with a little more beaten egg and bake for 15-20 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Serve warm.

Make ahead
Layer the unbaked sausage rolls in lidded freezer-proof boxes, separated with pieces of non-stick baking paper, and freeze for up to 1 month. To cook from frozen, brush with lightly beaten egg and bake on lined baking trays for 25-30 minutes until golden and puffed.

Baking · Breakfast · Egg based · Holiday Food

Ham and cheese croissant tray-bake

Belinda

The best part of Christmas is the morning, when you’re in your pj’s sitting in front of a fire, drinking champagne, opening gifts and having a wonderful breakfast!
Try this cheese-packed, no-fuss, show-off brunch idea that will feed a hungry crowd on a Holiday morning. Recipe c/o Olive Magazine.

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45 Minutes + Soaking time
Serves 8

2-3 tbsp Dijon mustard
8 croissants, split in half
8 slices thick-cut ham
9 oz (250g) gruyère cheese, grated
4 large eggs
12 fl oz (350 mls) whole milk
7 fl oz (200mls) single (whipping) cream
butter for the dish
A small bunch of chive, chopped

Spread a thin layer of mustard over each croissant half, then make 8 sandwiches using the ham and gruyère as the filling.

Whisk together the eggs, milk and cream, then season really well. Butter a 14″ (35cm) diameter ovenproof dish and arrange the croissants at the bottom.
Pour over the eggy mixture and leave for 15 minutes, turning now and again to help it all soak in.

Heat the oven to 350F/180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
Bake the croissants for 20-25 minutes or until the egg mixture is just set. Scatter with chives before serving.

Baking · Breakfast · Do-ahead · Holiday Food

Overnight Cinnamon Apple French Toast Bake

Belinda

Recipe from food blog, Damn Delicious
Prepare the night before! Soaked in maple syrup, tender cinnamon apples + topped with toasted pecans. SO GOOD.
There is truly nothing more delightful than waking up to this casserole with a warm cup of coffee.
With all the hard work taken care of the night before, you can roll on over to the kitchen in your PJs and simply pop this in the oven, letting you continue your morning with basically zero effort. And in just one hour, you’ll have the most wanted breakfast all. season. long.
Made with tender cinnamon apples nestled in brioche bread cubes, soaked in maple syrup with pockets of an ooey gooey cream cheese filling. Not to mention the perfectly toasted pecans right on top for that added crunch.

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Serves 8
3 tbsp unsalted butter
3 large apples, peeled and diced
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, divided
1 (16-oz) loaf brioche bread, cubed
1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, cubed
12 large eggs, beaten
2 cups whole milk
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 tbsp confectioners’ sugar (icing sugar)

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add apples and cook, stirring often, until just tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon; continue cooking until sugar has dissolved, about 1-2 minutes. Let cool.

Lightly coat a 9″×13″ baking dish with nonstick spray. Place a layer of bread cubes evenly into the baking dish. Top with cream cheese and half the apple mixture in an even layer. Top with remaining bread cubes and remaining apple mixture.

In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, maple syrup, vanilla, salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Pour mixture evenly over the bread cubes. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Remove baking dish from the refrigerator; let stand 30 minutes.
Sprinkle with pecans; place into oven and bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover; continue to bake for an additional 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and center is firm.
Serve immediately, sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Baking · Holiday Food · Vegetable-related

Feta tapenade tarte soleil

Belinda

Feta Tapenade Tarte Soleil is from the great food blog, “Smitten Kitchen”
The feta dip is from Ina Garten.
My inspiration for this recipe was from my dear friend, Lucy Lean, who made a version of this when we went to her home for drinks. She got her French butter puff pastry rounds from the frozen food department at Gelsons, which tasted great and saved a lot of time.
For this recipe, you can also use defrosted puff pastry packages at 14 oz each
(DuFour is a good brand)

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Filling
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes in oil, drained
1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives or oil cured olives, pitted
1 teaspoon dried oregano or 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano leaves; thyme and rosemary would work too
1 large garlic clove, peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil or reserved oil from tomatoes, plus more to loosen if needed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper or red pepper flakes to taste

Assembly
2×14 oz packages puffed pastry (leave in fridge overnight to thaw)
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 teaspoon water (for egg wash)
1 tablespoon sesame or poppy seeds to sprinkle (optional)

Dip
6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
2 ounces cream cheese, cold is fine
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Coarse or kosher salt, to taste (1/2 teaspoon could be overkill if your feta is very salty, so be careful)
Freshly ground black pepper

Make the filling: Blend ingredients in a food processor until finely chopped and spreadable. Mixture will be thick. You can thin it with more olive oil if needed, but no need to make this thin like a sauce. Adjust seasonings to taste. Set aside.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Assemble the tart: Roll first package puffed pastry flat on a large piece of parchment paper or reusable baking mat into a 12-inch circle; use a 12-inch round plate or bowl to mark the size for a clean cut. Repeat with second dough, setting one aside in the fridge until needed.

Place first round on a parchment- or nonstick mat-lined baking sheet. Spread with filling to all but 1-inch from edge. Dab edges with water and place second round on top. Set a small glass upside down in the middle. Being careful not to cut through parchment paper or baking mat, cut away from glass (i.e. not through center) in quarters, or at the 3-, 6-, 9- and 12 o’clock marks. Cut through each quarter again, making 8 strips, and again, making 16 strips, and one last time so that you have 32 “rays” of pastry emanating from the center. If at any point in the cutting the pastry feels annoyingly soft and hard to cut, just pop the tray in the freezer for a few minutes to firm it back up.

Remove the glass. Place your finger near center of each ray (where it is most likely to break off prematurely) and gently twist each strand a few times. Beat egg yolk with 1 teaspoon water; brush it over pastry and sprinkle with seeds, if desired.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown all over.

Meanwhile, make whipped feta dip: Blend all filling ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste. Place in bowl for dipping.

Remove tart from oven, let cool, on baking sheet for 10 minutes then transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle wth some freshly chopped parsley for color.
Tear off rays of sun, dip in whipped feta; repeat as needed.

Baking · Do-ahead

Drop-dead easy focaccia bread

Belinda

What is nicer than rosemary focaccia bread dunked in great olive oil and balsamic? Recipe from the wonderful food blog “Smitten Kitchen”

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You can choose your own schedule with this bread, by proving it for 1 to 1 1/2 hours at room temperature, overnight in fridge, or 10 hours at room temperature. For the last option, you want to make the bread with cold tap water.
To use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast, add it directly to the lukewarm water with a pinch of sugar to proof it for 10 minutes (it will get foamy) and then add it below where you will the water.
For more of a traditional focaccia flavor, sprinkle 1 tablespoon chopped or minced fresh rosemary over the top with the salt before baking it.

4 cups (520 grams) all-purpose flour
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp instant yeast
2 cups lukewarm water, made by mixing 1/2 cup boiling
water with 1 1/2 cups cold water
4 tbsp olive oil
4-5 good sized sprigs of fresh rosemary, stalks removed and leaves chopped
Flaky sea salt

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and instant yeast. Add the water. Using a rubber spatula, mix until the water is absorbed and the ingredients form a loose, sticky dough. Cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap and [choose your schedule]:

Quickest rise: Set aside in a warmish spot for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled.
Overnight in fridge: Set inside your refrigerator overnight, about 8 to 10 hours.
Overnight at room temperature: For this method, you will need to use only cold, no lukewarm, water. Leave the bowl on your counter at room temperature for 10 hours.

When you’re ready to make your focaccia: Pour 3 tablespoons oil onto a rimmed sheet pan (can use a 13×18, or half-sheet pan, but if you have something more 11×17-ish, as I use here, will make for slightly thicker loaf; you can line it first with parchment paper for maximum nonstick security).

Heat oven to 425°F.

Using two forks, deflate the dough by releasing it from the sides of the bowl and pulling it toward the center. Rotate the bowl in quarter turns as you deflate, turning the mass into a rough ball.
Use the forks to lift the dough onto the prepared sheet pan. Roll the dough ball in the oil to coat it all over.

Let dough rest for 20 minutes (for Quickest rise or Overnight at room temperature) or 1 hour (if you used the Overnight in the fridge rise, so it warms up) without touching it.
Then, drizzle last 1 tablespoon of olive oil over and use your fingertips to stretch and press the dough to the edges, leaving it intentionally dimply. If your dough resists being stretched all the way, get it as stretched as you can, wait 5 minutes, and return to stretch it the rest of the way, repeating this rest if needed.

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Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and chopped rosemary all over and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, checking in on the earlier end, until lightly puffed on top and golden and crisp underneath.
Remove from oven and let cool completely. (this will go faster if you transfer the bread to a cooling rack)