Tempting Weekend Bakes

Weekends are for baking, and so as a very special treat we have two brand new and quite frankly totally delicious recipes to share with you from two books coming out this Spring.

First up we have a banana and rye bread perfect for a lazy breakfast from our lovely author Bronte Aurell and her new book Scandikitchen Summer, then an indulgent chocolate tiffin from Masterchef winner Mat Follas and his new book Afternoon Tea at Bramble Cafe.

We couldn't wait to share these books with you guys, so here is a sneak peek of some of the tempting recipes you can expect to find...

 

Rye & Banana Bread

At our café, people used to ask for banana bread a lot. As it’s not really a traditional Scandinavian thing, we wanted to make it our own with a Scandi twist. So, we created this version with rye flour to make it more wholesome. We like to serve it with a delicious cinnamon butter, that just melts on toasted slices of this loaf.

Banana and rye bread

4 very ripe bananas

100 g/scant 1⁄2 cup Greek/plain Greek-style yogurt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla sugar

125 g/1 cup minus 1 tablespoon plain/all-purpose flour

125 g/1 generous cup wholemeal/ wholewheat rye flour

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda/ baking soda

125 g/11⁄8 sticks butter, softened

150 g/3⁄4 cup dark brown soft sugar

2 UK large/US extra-large eggs

cinnamon butter, to serve (optional)

500 g/1 lb. loaf pan, lined with non-stick baking parchment

Makes 1 loaf

 

Preheat the oven to 180C (350F) Gas 4.

Mash the bananas and mix with the yogurt, lemon juice and vanilla and set aside.

Mix the flours with the salt and bicarbonate of soda/baking soda and set aside.

Cream together the butter and dark brown soft sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using a hand-held electric whisk. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl between each addition to ensure they are fully incorporated.

Add the mashed banana mixture and mix until incorporated, then add the flours and mix briefly until smooth. Do not over-mix.

Spoon the mixture into the lined loaf pan. Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for around 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out just clean. Leave to cool a little before turning out of the pan. Cut into slices and serve toasted, with plenty of cinnamon butter (see below).

Cinnamon butter

Mix three tablespoons of strong cinnamon sugar (ratio 1:3) with half a packet of soft unsalted butter – re-chill and use as needed.

 

You can pre order your copy of Scandikitchen Summer here for UK and here for US.

Plus you sample more of Bronte's recipes from the book in a FREE sample of the book, downloadable from here.

Scandikitchen Summer

 

White chocolate & strawberry tiffin

Delicious with coffee, these tiffins are fun to make with children. Be inventive with swirly toppings and fillings.

PREPARE 20 MINUTES / COOK 10 MINUTES

chocolate tiffin

250 g/21⁄4 sticks butter

120 g/generous 1⁄2 cup caster/ granulated sugar

120 g/6 tablespoons golden/ light corn syrup

200 g/7 oz. milk chocolate

100 g/3⁄4 cup mixed dried fruit and nuts (almonds, sultanas/golden raisins, cherries)

100 g/1 cup fresh strawberries, chopped

450 g/1 lb. digestive biscuits/ graham crackers, crushed

450 g/1 lb. white chocolate

non-stick 30 x 20-cm/12 x 8-inch brownie pan, lightly oiled and lined with baking parchment

MAKES 18

 

In a saucepan, place the butter, sugar and golden/light corn syrup. Warm on a low heat until melted and stir to mix together.

In a mixing bowl, grate 100 g/31⁄2 oz. of the milk chocolate, then add the dried fruit and nuts, strawberries and crushed digestive biscuits/ graham crackers. Pour in the melted butter, sugar and syrup mixture. Fold together until thoroughly mixed, then spoon into the lined brownie pan. Smooth the tiffin base to make it level, then place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Melt the white chocolate by breaking it up and heating three-quarters of it in a microwave on high in a microwaveable bowl. Use the microwave in 10-second bursts, stirring the chocolate in-between until it is all melted.

Now, add the remaining one-quarter and mix together to form a smooth, just-melted chocolate.

Remove the tiffin base from the refrigerator and pour the white chocolate over the top. Tilt the pan until the topping covers the tiffin base and is smooth and even.

Now melt the remaining milk chocolate in the same way (melting three-quarters of it, then adding the final one-quarter at the end). Pour the milk chocolate over the white chocolate in thin lines. Use a cocktail stick/toothpick to drag the milk chocolate over the surface to form patterns.

Return to the refrigerator for at least an hour, before removing and portioning with a hot knife.

 

Pre order your copy of Afternoon Tea at Bramble Cafe by Mat Follas here for UK and here for US orders.

Afternoon Tea at Bramble Cafe