Banoffie pie

This was the first Banoffie pie I ever made, but I can surely say, I want to make it sometime again. Whenever I looked up this pie recipe, the procedure of cooking the of unopened condensed milk tins until they form the caramel inside took my enthusiasm away and quickly went for another type of pie.

This recipe gives you a much easier description. And the pie is so good! Tasting the flavor combination of bananas, toffie, whipped cream and the walnut in the pastry was really worth the effort of making this pie.

Walnut pastry:

• 1 1/4 cups (155 g) plain flour
• 2 Tbsp icing sugar
• 3 oz (85 g) ground walnuts
• 2 3/4 oz (80 g) chilled unsalted butter, chopped

Filling:

• 13 oz (400 g) canned condensed milk
• 1 oz (30 g) unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp golden syrup
• 4 bananas, sliced
• 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) heavy cream, whipped
• 1 3/4 oz (50 g) dark chocolate, melted

To make the pastry, sift the flour and icing sugar into a large bowl. Add walnuts and rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Mix in 2-3 Tbsp chilled water to form a dough, add more water if needed, then gather into a ball on a floured surface. Wrap and chill for 15 min. Roll out to fit a 9 inch flat tin, chill for 20 min.

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Line the pastry base with crumpled baking paper and spread baking beads or rice over paper. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the paper and beads. Bake for another 10 minutes or until lightly golden. set aside and cool completely.

To make the filling, place the condensed milk, butter and golden syrup in a small pan. Stir over medium heat for 5 minutes, until it boils and thickens and turns its color into a light caramel. Cool slightly, then arrange half the bananas over the pastry and pour the caramel over the top. Smooth the surface and chill for 30 minutes.

Drop spoonfuls of whipped cream over the caramel and arrange the remaining banana slices over the top. (To prevent from browning, previously you can dip the slices into 2 Tbsp lemon juice). Drizzle with melted chocolate.

Recipe from The Essential Dessert Cookbook, p.138

Cocoa crepes

Yesterday I made some crepe mix and baked only part of it. I made the rest today and thought of giving it a new coat by adding 1 tbsp cocoa to the mix.

For the filling I used the usual farmers cheese, adding sugar, shredded coconut, some golden raisins, mini chocolate chips and mini marshmelows. Tasted great!

Blackberry cobbler

For this cobbler I used some leftover fruit: 1 peach, 1/2 box blueberries, 2 boxes blackberries.

I found THIS recipe some time ago and I was craving for it since the first moment I saw it. I'm so glad I tried the recipe, because it tasted heavenly!

Definitely will do it again, sooooon!!!!

Adding sugar, lemon juice and zest to the fruit...

Laying the cobbles until the fruit is covered, sprinkled with sugar...

Fresh from the oven...

Served strictly with vanilla ice cream... Heavenly!!!

Apricot Sesame Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup sesame seeds
• 6 tbsp apricot jam

In a large bowl beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in extract. Combine flour, salt and baking powder, gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well.

Roll into 1-in balls, roll into sesame seeds. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Using the end of a wooden spoon handle make an indentation in the center of each ball, fill with jam.

As you can see it in the pictures, I mixed half of the dough with 1 tbsp cocoa. Tasted just as great. I rolled some in coconut flakes. Delicious too.

Bake them at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes until lightly brown.

Believe it or not, there's only 5 pieces left of it... It's easy to make and they really melt in your mouth!

Taste of Home, Baking Classics, p. 321