A bit of baking

Aided and abetted by Elton’s Yellow Brick Road and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, I got into my stride in a serious baking session this evening.

Banana Bread
2 over-ripe mashed bananas
2 eggs
8 oz Mix of very strong plain flour, strong plain flour and rice flour
1 tsp each of baking powder and bicarb
Pinch salt
Juice of half a lemon
Two tbs carotino oil
Two tbs sweetened apple juice
Two tbs brown sugar
Two tsp honey
1 tsp vanilla extract

Easy method!
Sieve flours, baking powder and bicarb and salt three times to mix properly
Add sugar to dry ingredients
Mix all wet ingredients then combine
Pour into a loaf tin and bake at a moderate temp till done

This turned out to be the yummiest Banana Bread I’ve ever made.


Apple tart for someone who doesn’t like it

I really dislike apple tart but I like making it. This is intended for the freezer and will be shared between mother and my daughter.

I wanted to experiment with pastry, which I also am not very fond of but like making, although it is always hit or miss how it turns out. I consulted Delia Online, but she was really pernickety about measurements and having cold conditions and not manhandling it too much. I often woman-handle the pastry too much with the resulting chunky jaw aching outcome. This could be the source of my dislike of pastry.

Further consultation with a cookery book inherited from my grandmother gave a little more inspiration.

In the end, my experimental impulses were in the ascendancy.

Apples
Peel and chop five apples (in this case, two Gala, two Granny Smith and one Golden Delicious, as that is what I had available).
Microwave briefly with some added castor sugar to combat the sharpness of the Granny Smiths. Pour off the liquid into the above recipe for Banana Bread.

Pastry
6 oz flour and 2 oz rice flour
Pinch salt
Large tbs icing sugar
4oz marg or butter
Mix flours and other dry ingredients, then rub in marg before adding a little water to mix – less than I put in for preference
Rest in plastic covering in the fridge till you get round to using it
Roll out half the pastry and bake blind (Mine always shrinks, so keep enough to make repairs)
Place in the softened apples, a handful of sultanas and three cloves (these refine the unfortunate taste of cooked apples)
Roll out the remaining pastry and cover the tart
Sprinkle more sugar on top and do an egg or milk wash if desired
Replace in oven and keep an eye on it

If you like apple tart, then go ahead and eat it otherwise give it to some to whom you owe a favour and who will appreciate your efforts.

I have a similar relationship with quiche.

I served myself a slice of this with vegan fake cream made from oat milk, which is a bit healthier than actual cream.

And since I abided by my three things in the oven rule, I roasted some veg in sesame oil which I devoured before tucking into the sweet treats.