Sunday 19 February 2012

Hello to the Blondie's





























Hi!

So this is it my first solo blog. Wellies and her Boy kindly gave to me a blog as a present, so that I could share my love of cooking with you out in blog land.

So today I'm going to share these yummy scrummy Banana Blondies. I came upon the recipe when googling for Banana cake recipes and I always think Banana cake can well just be too banana-aree. These are very sweet but I warn you one is never enough. I found the recipe here. I have tweaked one or two things.

Banana Blondie:-

For the toffee:
75g caster sugar.
75g brazil nuts Roughly chopped (can be any nut)

Put sugar into a heavy based pan add 2tbsp of cold water bring to the boil and let it bubble away.( DO NOT STIR if you do it will not work) When it is a light reddish golden caramel and if you have a thermometer  it's 260F/124 C or if your hubby like mine has nicked your thermometer to use in his workshop (is it just my hubby!?) pour a drop from a teaspoon into cold water and if it sets into hard ball it's ready. Stir in the nuts off the heat and spread on a oiled baking tray and leave to go cold then chop up finely. I often do extra (especially if you have some nuts near their sell by date) it is brilliant on ice cream or top of puddings, or ground up on top of cakes.

For the Cakes.

200g Caster Sugar.
100g Unsalted Butter
200g White Chocolate
1 egg
2 peeled ripe bananas about 200-250g
2 tsp or 2 capfuls of good Vanilla extract (I always use Nielsen-Massey)
200g Plain flour
1/4 tsp Baking powder
Good pinch of sea-salt.

Line a 20cm square tin with lightly greased foil and preheat your oven to 190C / gas mark 5 or for 2 door Aga stand wired shelf upside down in the top oven with baking sheet on the first or second runners above. Heat butter and white choc in a pan on a low heat until melted, then spoon into a large bowl. Add and beat in the sugar, banana, egg and vanilla until smooth. Sift flour, salt and baking powder, fold into the mixture with the chopped toffee. Put into the tin and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes until just set and a golden colour. Leave till cold before turning out and cutting into squares.

Do try these they sound like a lot of hassle with the toffee but are totally worth it and has everyone wanting more. Even the hubby likes them and he is one of those strange men who doesn't do brownies very often. He is really weird at times!!!

I promise to do the other recipes that Tori mentioned in the introduction blog. I must also warn you that Tori gets all her picture skills from her Dada and not from her Mama hence why there is not a picture of the finished Blondie's as that picture was crap!!

Lots of Love Caro xxxx








Thursday 9 February 2012

Happy Birthday Mum



As I write this you are in the kitchen making your own birthday cake. A recipe that you have been wanting to try for ages and not having an excuse to make it. Yesterday you made peanut bars because you thought they would be nice for your birthday tea. The day before you made a Norfolk vinegar cake because you thought it sounded interesting and the day before that you made lemon drizzle cake because it would make a nice change.

I don't know anyone else who enjoys baking as much as you. No recipe phases you in fact the opposite as it interests you instead. If it goes right it goes right, if it goes wrong - well never mind!

I have made you this blog so you can keep a record of all your recipes and share with people your story of baking - because Oli and I think it's worth sharing.

Happy Birthday Mum

Love Me & Oli x x x