Strawberry tea roses and Valentine’s day Expectations.

Valentine’s Day, the words causes men to sweat while women are dreaming up fantasies for themselves. Most people would now notice the large supermarket and store displays of love hearts, teddy bears and chocolates; all aimed to prove how much you love your partner. Prrfff.... as if.



I have never been big on any holiday but especially Valentine’s Day. Memories of high school flood back o me and we all know how horrific that period is. Giant, massive, humongous bears and flowers would line the halls the corridor, all held by girls bragging silently bragging about how much their boyfriends love them by the sheer size of a stuffed animal. Some even were delivered to the school and were call out to get them in middle of class. I admit in my early school days I was jealous, to have someone to care about them enough to give them such a token. Unfortunately, life is not as simple as that and I soon learned that not all were brought these “boyfriends”.



Expecting something so grand on Valentine ’s Day is setting up the chance for more problems to occur in a relationship than it already is. One it creates the standard for men, two it makes women expect more and more every year (creating ALOT of room for disappointment).



Readers, do not buy into the commercialism and return to good old fashion wooing. We all know food is a great way of expressing how much you care about someone, by taking time and effort to produce something to bring them joy. These bread buns are my take on saying “I care” this Valentine’s day.

Soft strawberry tea infused bread, lovingly shaped into a rough rose shape. I used a few tea black bags which are flavoured with strawberry, raspberry and loganberry, strawberry essence and a few drops of pink food colouring to produce the pink hue of buns. These are sweet edge but not overly so that you can serve them with jam or sweeten whipped spreads (cream, ricotta, butter. You do not have to shape them as roses, but I think it makes it a little more special if you serving them as breakfast in bed (hint, hint).Roses are good, but these are better because you can eat them AND you do not have left over wilting flowers to clean up.

Break the expectations and deliver something truly from the heart.




Strawberry tea rose buns.

Makes 18

Adapted from this recipe by Honeybeesweets.

Shaping technique taken directly from Table for two or more.


400g bread flour

6g yeast

50g caster sugar

3 strawberry, raspberry and Loganberry infused tea bags

1 tsp strawberry essence

Optional; Drops of pink food colouring

10g milk powder

5g salt

300ml milk

80g beaten egg

40g room temperature butter



Scald the milk in a medium sauce pan. Add the milk powder and tea bags. Allow to infuse for 10 minutes, remove and leave to get to room temperature.

In large bowl mix the rest of ingredients BUT not the butter. Add milk tea mixture. Knead the dough by hand or with a stand mixer until it forms a rough ball.

Slowly knead in the butter and continue to knead until it is shinny and elastic.

Shaped the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover with cling film and leave to proof for 1-2 hours.

Prepare two baking trays with grease proof paper

Once it is doubled, punch down and divide the dough into two.

Take one dough ball and follow the instructions here. I recommend you use balls of 10 grams rather than 15 grams in order to get more petals, but 15 is OK too.

Place on trays and repeat until all dough is used. Cover and leave to proof for 45 minutes

Set oven to 180c. Brush buns with egg wash and bake for 20 minutes.

So easily influenced by Mixed candy macarons.

My baking is so easily influence by what I have been watching or reading. I am not sure if anyone else get this impulse, but sometimes I am glad because it means new exciting flavours for baking. One of Britain most popular chefs, Heston Blumenthal, influenced these macarons. I first heard of him from the popular television show “Master chef” and marveled at the theatrical presentation and process. I have deep geeky love for science and numbers, so it was a no surprise I would love his style of cooking. Also who can say no to the creations with dry ice, dehydrators and blow touches?

This Australia day long week end was a chance for me to catch up on a few good books and finally get to watch some of my food DVDs I have been hoarding for awhile.



One of those Dvd’s was Heston’s Fantastical feats. No plugs here but I ready loved this series. Sure, I cannot recreate what he is making in the programs but they are very inspirational. One of the episodes that left me inspired was one where he recreated the candy shop experience. Not only do I love candy, but the candy store was one of the best experiences from my childhood.




I might only be twenty but in my suburb, their used to be a candy store. Once or twice a week my sisters would bring me to this shop and by me a treat. Sometimes gummy bear, or sour worms but my favorite was the sherbet lollypops. Pastel rainbow delights often wrapped in clear plastic that was melted on to the stick. Good times, but like most small shops it closed down.



Chantilly cream is a stabled whipped cream, which is flavoured by syrup. Here I have melted down some gummy lollies and infused it in the mixture creating a candy flavoured filling. The sweetness of the gummy candies are enough to sweeten the cream and produce a unique but familiar flavour. Valentine’s day treat or for the 3pm munchies, candy is always is sweet and tasty.




Mixed Candy Macaron

Based on Tartette’s Macaron recipe, Featured here and here.

Milk candy Chantilly


1g gold gelatine leaf


10g cold water


140g whipping pure cream


40g milk bottle candies


40g white chocolate


Bloom gelatine leaf in cold water for 15 minutes. Set aside.

Put cream and milk bottles in saucepan and heat until semi melted. Add the white chocolate and stir until everything is combined and melted. NOTE: Do not add chocolate and bottles together as the chocolate may split before the milk candies have melted.

Stir in gelatine leaf and water, and then strain into a medium bowl.

Leave to cool, then store in the fridge for 2 hours.

When ready to use, lightly whip the mixture with a hand mixer.


Assembly


Your macaron shells

1x Chantilly

30g popping candy or fizzy crushed lollies

Fill the macaron shells with one teaspoon of the Milk candy Chantilly or if piping a reasonable blob. Sprinkle your crushed candy dust on top then finish with the finish final shell.

Aussies get patriotic by.... /-/ Mutli layered Milo milk trifle (aka. Milo the Malevolent)

What does you country do to celebrates it national day? In Australia, I think we are happy at the fact Australia day is another reason to take a day off (we love our days off here in Australia). Any holiday in Australia has to have a day off, I think it is the people’s right to get one. This year Australia day falls on a weekend, so the Monday coming is a day off. Yep that’s how much we love the day off down under



Also it gives us a excuse to dress up in some of the most flag decorated merchandise this side of southern hemisphere; For my northern hemisphere folks think Uncle Sam’s Suit but in the form of swimming trunks and a bonds chesty singlet. Around this time the mass production of flags and Australian flag related products goes into over drive... Everything that can be printed on has an Australian flag on it, even food and hygiene products (“I love Australia” paper towels anyone?)



As a small child I never really understood the significances of National holidays, but I have learned to love this holiday. Australia day for me is to appreciate all this country has done for my family and how Australian traditions have shaped my childhood. My parents and sister came over from Hong Kong, Australia was way of providing a better life for them. I was born here, so I never knew what Hong Kong was like back then, but I told that opportunities are were not common and the government at the time was still unstable.



A few things that are uniquely Australia made my childhood special. Blinky Bill the koala, Play school and Vegemite but above all of them a tall cold glass of Milo in milk is the essence of my Australian Childhood. Milo is a chocolate malted milk drink made from barley wheat. Most Australian’s growing up would have wonderful memories of this drink and the way the Milo would not quite dissolve in the milk but leave a crunchy pure Milo layer floating on the top. Heaven in a nutshell and I still love it even today as a 20 year old.

So this my way of saying Thanks Australia. This dessert is a multi layered Milo trifle, which is meant to represent the layers of chocolate malted milk in that childhood drink. At the base is a Milo milk anglaise, topped with a brownie Milo disc and malted chocolate truffle; Surrounding this is a milk bottle Chantilly. Finally, a layer of Milo crunchy is layered then a topping of Milo jelly and more Milo anglaise finishes this dessert. For decoration I placed the large lumps of Milo crunchy on top. This is an adaption from Adrino Zumbo’s Zumbo book, inspired by his “Cereal Killa” dessert (Explains the nick name for this). I do own some of recipes so I cannot post them but look for his book because it is good and some of the wacky dessert are to die for.

This dessert is sophisticated enough for even the most fancy of dinner parties but evokes the comforting taste of the Australian childhood (this means it is winner with everyone).

Happy Australia day folks! And Give this dessert a go!

Milo milk trifle (aka. Milo the Malevolent)

Makes 6

Adpated from Zumbo by Adrino Zumbo

Milo condensed milk jelly from Zumbo by Adrino Zumbo. If you like the recipe email me.

Milk bottle Chantilly from Zumbo by Adrino Zumbo. If you like the recipe email me.






Milo milk anglaise
75g milk

100g pouring cream

30g full cream milk powder

40g milo powder

40g egg yolks

1tsp Vanilla extract

Heat milk and cream in a saucepan over medium heat, place in milo and milk powder. Stir until it dissolved. Bring to the boil.

Whisk egg yolks and vanilla in a bowl until it is pale and thick. While whisking, pour in the milk mixture slowly then strain it back into the sauce pan.

Return pan to heat and stir until it reaches a temperature of 85c. Set aside and seal the custard in a layer of cling film. Fridge until ready to use.

Milo crunchy

100g milo cereal

150g plain chocolate cookies 

50g milo powder

50g cocoa butter

100g milky way bars ( not the ones with caramel in side)

Crush milo, milo cereal and cookies in a bag. It should be crumbed with mixture of big and small bits, like when you cut fat into flour.

Melt cocoa butter and Milky Way in a saucepan until it reaches 32c.

Line a tray with baking paper.

Pour in crumbs and stir

Place on tray and fridge until ready to use.


Milo brownie

Adpated from Nigella Lawson’s Feast

200g Milk chocolate

175g butter

50g Milo powder

100g caster sugar

3 eggs

120g flour

1 tsp of salt

1 tsp Vanilla extract

Pre heat oven to 180c. Line a 33x23x5.5cm baking tray with baking paper.

Melt milk chocolate and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Take off the heat and whisk in the eggs one at the time. After whisk in Milo and caster sugar.

Stir in flour and salt until it is fully combined.

Pour into lined tray and bake for 20minutes.

Leave to cool in tray and fridge until ready to use.

Milo truffle

100g milk chocolat, finely chopped

30g milo powder

100g cream

Heat milk and milk in a sauce pan until boiled.

Pour over milk chocolate in a medium bowl and stir until chocolate is fully melted. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate. 

Once cold, roll teaspoons into balls. Return to fridge until ready to use.

Layering

Milo milk anglaise is poured in to a glass, topped with a brownie Milo disc and malted chocolate truffle;

On the edge pipe milk bottle Chantilly. Layer of Milo crunchy on top

Finished with Milo jelly and more Milo anglaise.

Placed the large lumps of Milo crunchy on top.

Too many people to thank/-/ Red Hot Ginger Rolls

Sometimes I cannot believe I am approaching two months of constant blogging. This comes from a person who has never kept any kind of journal or dairy (due to inconstancy) and that I only discovered this year that people blog about food on the internet (What? It is true! I was gobsmacked). Also that so many of you people have read it! I cannot believe my recipes or food are read worthy. A big thank you for those who read and comment!





I am truly astonished that my photos get accepted to big food porn sites, once again coming from a person who only got a DLSR this year for her birthday. Still learning but hopefully I am getting better every time I pick up my camera. A big thank you and shout out to my sister and her husband for help me get into photography.





We do not say thank you enough in today’s modern life. Not a face book poke or status “Like” update, or saying it to gain something in return; I mean a go up to someone in mutual conversation and genuinely thank you. You have no idea how up lifting that can be someone, I have recently discovered.
I am guilty of not saying thank you enough to the people who do the most for me. I guess the saying is true that we take for granted the people closest to us. My mother and father are so supportive of my passion for baking; all ingredients, all power is provided by them and I cannot express how much it means to me. In a way, I try to say thank you on a daily basis by cooking for them at dinner and making whatever they request. For me food brings happiness to our lives, while it may not be as strong as saying thank you everyday but it leaves a long lasting impression.




These rolls are contribution to many bread roll recipes. The base is a simple sourdough white bread based off the sourdough shredable buns I can posted before. Instead of making them into buns I shaped them into a rolls with a cut out design, then they are brushed with a mixer of Hot sauce, butter, sesame oil, ginger and coriander.

The cut out ridges of the rolls makes a wonderful carrier of the butter glaze and allows for the bits in the mixture to really stick to the rolls. Also the rolled technique give you a roll which you can peel demonstrating it fluffiness. This is my take on the classic garlic bread, just with my Asian influence creeping in. They are really addictive chilli, butter and bread, what more does a girl need? they make great buns for BBQ or just as a simple snack.





Red hot ginger rolls- Makes 10

To Find the recipe simply go to Txfarmer’s Blog on The Fresh loaf for the bread. Prepare as instructed until you reach the stage of shaping.


Ginger and herb butter sauce

50g salted butter

2tsp of fresh coriander, finely chopped.

½ tsp dried chilli flakes

1tsp grated ginger

1tsp sesame oil.

Melt together above ingredient on the stove and leave to cool. Use as direct

Divide your dough into ten rounds.

Make a small dent in the middle of the rounds and place a few drops of hot sauce in the middle, seal tightly.

With each round, roll out into oval shape out 15cm by 8cm. Take a sharp knife and cut length ways cuts down the oval dough. Do not cut all the way through.

Take one short edge and roll up until you have a fatish log. Do not roll too tightly or it may split. Place on a lined baking tray and prove, covered for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 200c.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the roll sounds hollow and is golden brown.

While baking prepare the spicy butter sauce

Brush Ginger and herb butter sauce on them once they are out of oven. Cool for five minutes and transfer to cooling racks.

Store in air tight box or eat them right now!

Etiquette guides and Malted milk ball Swiss roll

I know the development of etiquette is a scheme to control the social class, but this code does more good than harm. In school, teachers should not teach you how to calculus or learn the names of dead pharaohs of Ancient Egypt, but they should be dishing out advice on how to behave in awkward situations.



I know the school system is not going to change (yet...) but their needs to be a some sort of free fryers or pamphlets that tell you exactly what to do. Like the ones you find at the doctors organised on the wall according to type of illness, only in this case it would be according to the social situation This would save a lot of awkwardness, hassle and silent cursing when someone commits a faux pas. Not just ones on Email and work place too, but shopping centre/supermarket etiquette, parent teacher interview etiquette, car park etiquette; the list is endless.



I am in a huff about manners because I have recently experience something very unpleasant in the car park. Some crashed into the front of my car. Yes, I left my car in perfect condition and I came back to a car with a big fat dent in hood. In the middle of a stare down between the dent, and me of course I was peeved off but I was more annoyed someone did not even leave a note. Even if you are not going to pay for it a sorry would be the least you could do.



This cake is need no introduction, Malted milk chocolate has put its party clothes on and allows even for the most mature of adults to eat the childish candy. The swiss roll may be intimating but it is well worth it. Any way if it cracks, it really does not matter because you always have a second cake!
A malted-based sponge is rolled in malted milk powder and filled with textured butter cream. The finishing touch adds a glossy shine and makes it oh so sophisticated.

I do know about you but candy in cake is enough for me to forget any type of eating manners





Malt milk ball or malteser Swiss roll with milk chocolate glaze.

Makes two cakes

Adpated from Zumbo by Adriano Zumbo

Malteaser Butter cream

200g unsalted butter, soft

200g pure icing sugar

250g almond meal

175g crème patissiere

125g crushed maltesers

Beat icing sugar and butter in a sit and mixer until pale and creamy

Add the almond meal in the bowl and mix to combine

Fold through the crème patisserie until well combined

Break in the malteasers and fold in the mixture until combined.

Set aside










Maltose cake

200g maltose

30g hot water

135g plain flour

2g nut meg

88g egg

4g bicarb soda

33g boiling water

80g malted milk powder.








Pre heat oven to 180c, line two standard swiss roll tins (1.5x 25x30) with baking paper.

In a small bowl warm , maltose and hot water in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and return for 30 seconds. Continue this process until it thoroughly warm

Place butter and warmed maltose in a stand mixer, beat until smooth (4 minutes)

Sift flour, nutmeg, bicarb in a medium bowl. Add this to the butter mixture while your stand mixture is beating at a low speed.

Beat egg and with the motor running, pour in a thin stream into the stand mixer bowl.

Dissolve the bicarb and boiling water in a small bowl. Mix in to the batter.

Divide the mixture into the two trays. Push the mixture so it covers the entire tray. NOTE: you may think you will get very, very thin cakes but it does raise alot in the oven.


Bake for 9-10 mintues, DO NOT OVER BAKE.

Lay a tea towel and a similar length of grease proof paper on top of each other.

With the paper side on top, sprinkle the malted milk powder on the paper.

Invert the cakes on this malted milk and leave to cool.

Roll the cakes up along the length until you have a completely rolled cake.

Unroll and spread the insides of the cake with butter cream.

Chill in fridge on a tray for 1 hour.

Trim the sides of the roll.


Assembly


Milk Chocolate glaze

20g gelatineleaves

120g cold water

75 water , extra

150g caster sugar

150g glucose syrup

100g condense milk

150g good quality milk chocolate, chopped.

Extra Maltesers for decorating


Bloom gelatine leaves in cold water,

Put remaining extra water in a medium sauce pan, caster sugar and glucose. Heat on a medium.

Heat this mixture until it reaches 105c. Stir in stained gelatine leaves and chopped milk chocolate

Add condense milk and stir until smooth and very shiny. Allow to cool and store in the fridge covered in plastic wrap.

To reheat, on a pan of simmering water heat mixture until it reaches 35c.

Place chilled, trimmed cake on a baking rack with a large baking tray under it. Have another large baking tray ready for second coat.

Pour over the milk glaze. Allow the extra to dip away,

Move the cake and caking rack to the clean tray. Pour the syrup again over the cake to mix any holes. For small holes spoon bits of glaze to cover smaller holes

Leave to set for 20 minutes. Decorate with malteasers .

Foodies phases have produced Buttered Popcorn polenta bites

I really think everyone can relate to this. Do you go through phases of being able to cook or eat one ingredient for weeks on end? If you do use other food stuffs in meal that one ingredient has to be included in that recipe? Sort of like the picky toddler syndrome when they choose a pick a food for its colour or taste, and refuse to eat nothing but that. I guess I still have this habit when it comes to cooking; I will become so focused on one ingredient and try to get it into everything I see or find new ways of eating it.



I think I have reached a phase were I have become encapsulated by corn. Any kind of corn food variation; corn flakes, corn meal, popcorn, corn cobs, can corn etc...

Over the weekend, I was served a lovely dish of hard grilled polenta with chilli tomato dressing. I had never had polenta in my life but this dish was fantastic. When I got home I started to research polenta and corn; I could not believe there are so many types of corn derived products out there.



Polenta shortbread sounds a bit strange but it really works. The Polenta in the short bread adds texture and colour to the normal biscuit, providing a unique bases for other additional flavours that require a bit more substance to carry the flavours. I partnered this base up with another corn staple, microwave butter popcorn( yes I know I can make this myself but I had some begging to be used in my pantry) and butterscotch candies.


Everyone like butter on their grilled corn right? Add the addition of caramel and you go yourself a sweet treat right their. Corn is not normal in sweet dishes for the west but in Asia they are big favourites. This cookies takes traditional staples and turn it into something exotic.

Buttery, nibbly and sweet. I do not think you can beat that in cookie.




Buttered Popcorn polenta bites

Makes 25

Adpated from BelindaJeffery’s Mix and bake, Belinda’s polenta and vanilla short bread


170g Plain flour

80g Fine polenta

60g caster sugar

0.5g baking powder

1g salt

130g butter, cool and in 1 cm cubes.

45g egg (crack the egg and beat it then weigh)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping

One bag of buttered microwave popcorn

30g brown sugar

20 butter

One bag of semi hard butterscotch candies.

In a food processor place flour, polenta , sugar, baking powder and salt and give it a few pulses to combine.

Place in cubes of butter and process until it looks like fatty oatmeal ( you are cutting the butter into the flour)

Whisk the eggs and vanilla in a small bowl. With the processor running dip in the egg mixture until it forms rough dough

Tip on to a floured surface and give it a kneading for 30 seconds.

Shape into a log and wrap in cling film, twisting the ends like a cracker, refrigerate for 3 hours.

Pre heat oven to 170c. Line two trays with grease proof paper.

Slice the long into piece about 5mm thick and lay them 3 cm apart on a the tray.

Bake for 20 minutes until a golden hue is tinting the edges and the bottoms are well browned.

Leave to cool on trays


Assembly

Melt the butter candies, sugar and butter in a small pot.

Prepare you microwave popcorn and empty in to a large bowl.

When candies are melted pour the sugar mixture over the popcorn. Stir.

Push the candy mixture on top of the cookies and allow to set.

Mini Coconut cream buns evoking comfort for a weary family.

When do you think the new year starts? On the 1st of January 2013? When the Christmas decoration come down? Or when you finally get noticed at the work place for a embarrassing new years party stunt. For me the New Year has started right now because most if not all Australians have all returned to work or school. My family members are easing back into it, but after 2 months of holidays; they are really feeling the stain.



Also the ads for back the school is an especially hard-hitting reminder that the holidays have ended because it signifies that I need to go back in about a month. Yes, a month is a long time but I still feel a hint of panic that everyone experience when started a brand new schooling year. It also does not help that this is my final year in my health science course, leading me to choose between graduating and go after my baking dream or continuing to study an honors degree. OH the choices>_<are making my head spin....

In short, right now I need bread. Soft, pillowy and lightly sweetened.




These coconut buns are a cross between the Hong kong/ Chinese style bakery cream bun and cocktail or coconut bun. Simple sweet condense milk buns rolled in coconut and baked, but why stop there? After, they are filled with a sweeten desiccated coconut custard and topped with a coconut butter cream. Yep dessert once again is undercover as a breakfast treat, the best kind of bread in my opinion.



Condense milk, coconut and bread all things, which bring me comfort. Do not judge, just eat it and feel the comfort.

Mini coconut cream bun

Makes 24

Bread buns

450g Bread flour

50g Shredded coconut

50g caster sugar

10g yeast

7g salt

40g condense milk

150g milk

90g pouring cream

1 egg

50g butter, soften

Desiccated coconut for rolling


Coconut filling

90g desiccated coconut

70g butter

10g skim milk powder

1g salt

40g icing sugar

In a large bowl, Cream butter milk, powder and icing sugar for 3 minutes. (only lightly fluffy)

Add the salt , mix again until combined.

Fold in coconut nut.

Coconut butter cream

100g butter

100g icing sugar

1tsp coconut extract

20g custard powder

1-2tsp milk

In a large bowl, Cream butter milk and icing sugar for 7 minutes

Add extract, beat until fluffy.

Slowly add custard powder and milk to the bowl. Beat until it returns to the correct texture (light , slightly fluffed and pale yellow)

Combine all bread ingredients in a bowl BUT the butter, and knead until it forms a rough ball.

Transfer to table and knead in butter. Continue to knead until it reaches the high gluten stage (window pane test).

Allow to rest in a covered buttered bowl for 1-2 hours or until doubled.

Prepare two baking trays with grease proof paper

Make coconut filling and butter cream now. Set aside for later

Punch down dough and divide in to 24 rounds. Shape as rolls or round buns and set on trays

Cover in clong wrap and rest for 1 hour. Pre heat oven to 180c.

In a shallow plate spread coconut out. One ball at a time dip in to the coconut and return to tray. Repeat withal balls

Bake for 20 minutes until the coconut is lightly toasted and the bun is a deep brown. Once cooked remove to cooling tray.


Assembly
Cut each bun down the middle and slightly open the cut.

Push in some of the coconut filling in the cut.

After pipe the butter cream on top of the filling in a wave like pattern.

After all buns are done, fridge for 1 hour.

You can eat it now or store in an airtight box in the fridge for 4 days

Banoffee bread buns and Questioning use of the word "bread'

I have confession... I really dislike banana bread and muffins. Yes, I know many of you would be cursing


Banoffee buns and a confessionmy existence and question how someone could dislike the classic cakey bread. Any quick bread really does not get me going, even the ones that contain my favourite flavour- coffee.

Well I have always had a problem with it being call bread when it contains no yeast. Sure, it has the basic raising agents but I have always seen them as more of a cake-baking tool than bread baking tool. Also I have always known bread as light fluffy wonder white stuff you find in the supermarket, of course I have moved on from that but it still I cannot accept it being called bread.



When I used to work at a cafe, people would drool over the fact that I could have the left over banana bread and take it home. Most of them time it went to my dad’s mix and match snack box or became stale before anyone touched it. I will tell you from experience you are being ripped off when it comes to banana bread in the cafes and shops.

Dry, too sweet, dense and a werid crumbly texture for 5 dollars? Not in my books, I rather go out and spend 5 dollars on ingredients to make banana bread than buy it. I guess am just picky.




With a bunch of black banana’s sitting on my fruit bowl, I had to think of way quickly to use it up before it goes to waste.

Banana bread? No

Banana muffins? Too boring

Banana ice cream? No, frozen bananas are not ice cream ever.

Yeasted banana bread? Hmm, why not?


I am putting the bread back in to banana bread with a yeasted banana dough with a chocolate caramel centre and brown sugar whole meal crumbled on top. Banoffee pie in a bread? Who could not love that? I am always looking for a recipe, which disguises dessert as breakfast; it makes it easier to eat on the run and you are judged less for it ( I have eaten cake for breakfast in public, you do not get nice looks)



Break the monotony of the a banana quick bread routine with yeast. The banana dough stays soft for days and solves the issues I have with banana bread being too sweet and dense. The chocolate carmel centre compliments the mellow sweetness of bread and means that no messy spreads are needed in this bread. I added a whole meal oat crumble and baked it in a muffin pan just for fun, your bread is masquerading as a banana muffin.
Do not be afraid of yeast for fruit bread, it is nice change from the cake like sweetness of typical boring quick breads.




Banoffee yeasted bread buns


Makes 24
600g bread flour

50g caster sugar

11g skim milk powder

9g salt

2 very ripe bananas (for me two came to 200g)

25g Freeze dried banana powder

100g cottage cheese

100ml milk

30g butter

2 eggs

7g dry yeast

24 chocolate covered caramels.

Mix cottage cheese and milk in a microwave safe jug.

Warm in the microwave for 40 seconds.

Add yeast and leave for 20 minutes.

Combine flour, salt, sugar, milk powder, eggs, banana mash in large bowl, and pour yeast milk mixture when ready.

Knead until a firm ball forms. This is a wetter mixture, but gives it time and a lot of kneading and it come together.

After the butter can be slowly kneaded in to the dough.

Continue kneading until a smooth ball form that passes the windowpane test for gluten.

Place in a oiled bowl and cover in cling wrap

Leave for 1 hour in a warm area until doubled.

Punch down dough and divide it into 24 balls. Leave for 10 minutes to rest.

Spray two standard muffin trays with oil

Shape each ball into flat circle and enclose a chocolate caramel in the centre. Pinch the seam well and lightly re shape into a sphere.

Place in the muffin tin holes. Repeat with all balls. Optional: Top each bun with a slice of banana

Cover in cling film and leave to double for about 1 hour

Preheat oven to 180.

Prepare an egg wash and generous cover each bun with egg.

Sprinkle Baked whole meal oat crumble on top (recipe below). Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Remove form the tin to a cooling rack after five minutes.

Eat and enjoy! Store remains in an air tight box.

Whole meal oat Crumble

100g whole meal pastry flour

60g rolled oats, ground

40g whole rolled oats

100g unsalted butter, cold in small 1cm cubes

Half a vanilla pod

70g brown sugar.


Preheat oven to 180c.

Place sugar flour and ground roll oats in a bowl.

Rub butter into the flour mixture. Use your fingertips to prevent melting the butter too quickly.

Using a fork, mix in the vanilla and sugar.

On a lined baking tray spread, place crumble on the tray and bake for 15 minutes until it goes golden.

Leave to cool and use when instructed.

I am bad at timing... See Salted Toffee choc rods

For you readers in the Northern hemisphere, you are probably in the middle of you winter wonderland. Totally jealous right now, not just because I have a higher than normal body temperature, but mother nature’s kids are playing the thermostat . Right now in Australia, we are in summer. Not just any summer, I think it has to be the most sporadic summer on record.



Let me explain. The temperature throughout the past week has varied by 10 Degrees Celsius, so right now we are either comfortably cool or frying in the weather. We reach 50 degrees in some town in the west and inner Australia, even a special news report was feature on television about it.

Of course I felt like playing around in the kitchen, and you would think I would be smart and whip up some ice cream or granita. Instead, I switch on the oven, and play around on the stove with molten toffee. The timing could not be worse, the oven set to 180c, molten toffee at hard set stage on a flame in a tiny kitchen will no Air condition and no windows open; I was recreating the canter of the earth in my kitchen.

Yes, on hindsight I see that I was making the 35 degree weather worse for myself but when I want to make something; I will make it regardless. Anyway it was worth it for the result which sweet version of a grissini.



Crisp Chocolate chip cookie sticks covered in a thin layer of bittersweet chocolate toffee then sprinkled with crushed pretzels and sea salt. So very moreish with the combination of sweet and salty, this is off set by a note of bitterness from the toffee in the background. These are great for hot or cold temperatures. They can be used as spoon for ice cream or a dipper for hot chocolate, because the toffee coating protects it from being too wet after adding liquid.
I recommend trying it on a day which is not predicted to reach 40 degrees, or at least have some good air conditioning.


Salted Toffee choc rods

Cookie sticks

250g unsalted butter soften

100g caster sugar

50g icing sugar

2 egg whites

1tsp vanilla extract

2g salt

1 tsp baking powder

340g plain flour

120g finely grated milk chocolate


Cream butter and two sugar in a stand mixer for 5 minutes. You should get a light fluffy mixture.

Add two egg whites, vanilla and salt. Beat until combined.

Add the flour and baking powder in heaped tablespoons on a medium speed until it clumps around the paddle beater.

Add chocolate until fully combined.

Roll into two flat discs and cover with cling wrap. Fridge for 1 hour at least or overnight for a crisper texture.


To roll

Take out cookie dough for 30 mintues.

Line two baking trays with grease proof.

Between two pieces of baking paper, roll until 4 mm thick. Cut the dough into 22cm by 1 cm rods. Transfer carefully to the baking trays and fridge for one hour. NOTE: if it breaks, don’t worry, just pinch it back together again. Place the cookie rods at least 2cm away from each other.

Pre heat oven to 185c. Bake one tray for 10-15 minutes. Cool on the trays then transfer to a wire rack


Chocolate toffee

100g Almond M&Ms, crushed

40g glucose

220g caster sugar

1tsp lime juice

Heat glucose in a medium pot until warm enough to cover the base. Keep the temperature medium low.

Add sugar and stir them together with a heatproof spatula until you get the syrup to a deep gold colour. It should remind you of toffee and smell like treacle.

Remove from heat, then add the crush M&M’s

Stir until they melt into the syrup.


Assembly

1 quanilty of cooked cookie rods

1 quanilty of chocolate toffee

200g crushed salted pretzels



Once the syrup is made you need to work quite fast. Wear cloth gloves and plastic gloves to prevent burns.

Pour the Pretzels on a large flat tray. Prepare two baking trays with greaseproof.

Using a small spatula spread the toffee on two rods Around 3mm thick, then carefully roll them in the pretzel tray then move to the empty baking trays

Allow to set. Repeat with remaining sticks


NOTE: If toffee is setting too much, re heat for 10 seconds on the stove.