Tag: Baking

Tuesday Treat

Menu MistressLeave a comment

Banana Maple Friands

Oh, joy of joys, your very own, individual banana cake!.. These little friands are wonderfully moist, with a slightly sticky, chewy crust. They’re great served alone or for an indulgent edge, add a dollop of whipped cream!..

140g ground almonds

2 ripe bananas

6 egg whites, lightly whisked

180g unsalted butter, melted, cooled

240g caster sugar

75g plain flour (gluten-free if required, I use Doves)

2 tablespoons maple syrup, plus extra to drizzle

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

*You will need a 12-hole friand tin, greased.

  1. Mash one banana in a bowl and add to the ground almonds along with the whisked egg white, melted butter, sugar, flour, maple syrup and cinnamon. Mix well
  2. Spoon the banana mixture evenly between the friand tin. Thinly slice the remaining banana and arrange 2 slices on top of each friand.
  3. Bake in a preheated oven, 160’c fan, for 30-35 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes before using a knife to gently lever each friand out and allow to cool on a wire rack to cool. To serve drizzle with a drop of maple syrup.
    (They are best eaten on the same day when their crust is most chewy – but they will keep in an air tight container for 3-4 days)

Tuesday Treat

Menu MistressLeave a comment

Zabaglione (Serves 4)

If you’ve never made Zabaglione or even tried it I urge you to do so with this recipe! It’s a light and creamy dessert with the most wonderful, subtle flavour of sweet Marsala wine. I have been making this particular recipe for more years than I can remember, I found it in Delia Smith’s ‘Complete Illustrated Cookery Course’ cookbook (yes, her really old one!). It’s super simple to make but it does need time whisking at the stove over simmering water (bain-marie), however, using an electric handheld whisk hurries things along. I recently discovered that Delia Smith had updated her recipe with the addition of cornflour so that it was possible to whisk it over direct heat without splitting and it thickened quicker. However, when I tried this recipe I found the result disappointing, it was nothing like the original recipe – you could taste the cornflour and the dessert was heavier. It’s definitely worth staying at the stove for an extra 5 minutes for this fantastic recipe!..

*Apart from this wonderful recipe, one of the best Zabaglione’s that I’ve tried was at Caffè Al Bicerin when I visited Turin a few years ago. Caffè Al Bicerin is a beautiful little cafe with just 6 or so tables, the interior is wonderfully antiquated and dimly lit by candles on white marble tabletops. It’s a ‘must-see’ place if you visit Turin (I would recommend a long weekend in this historic Italian city!). The cafe is renowned for having invented the Bicerin, but it’s also famous for its Zabaglione. What a dream a café where you can pop in just for a Zabaglione!.. (you can find my recipe for Bicerin here!)

8 Egg yolks

100g caster sugar

80ml Marsala wine

  1. Firstly choose a medium sized mixing bowl which will sit comfortably over a saucepan of barely simmering water (without touching it).
  2. Start with the bowl on the worktop. Place the egg yolks and sugar into it and whisk them with an electric handheld whisk until the mixture is pale and creamy (about 4 minutes). Then gradually whisk in the Marsala bit by bit.
  3. Now transfer the bowl to saucepan, keep the heat very low, and continue to whisk until the mixture thickens (about 8-10 minutes).
  4. To serve, pour into glasses and serve straightaway!..

Menu Mistress will be away for a couple of weeks…

I will we back with new recipes on Wednesday 27th March!..