Indulgent Nutella and Banana Loaf

Yesterday was a day spent experimenting in the kitchen. I knew I had to use up some bananas that were going brown, and so banana loaf popped into my head. With the help of the last of the Nutella, this slightly more indulgent, and incredibly moist loaf was created. 

I can actually say this recipe is my own and it's so easy to make with my all-in-one method. I can't wait to find more ways to adapt it/change it/add to it etc. Watch this space! 

Type of tin

2Ib loaf tin

Ingredients

225g/1 cup of sifted plain flour

100g/ 1/2 cup of demerara sugar

80ml/ 1/3 cup of semi-skimmed milk

2 small bananas, mashed

1 tbsp baking powder

1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 medium egg

3 tbsp/ 1/4 cup of Nutella, plus extra for spreading on top

Method

1. Weigh out all of your ingredients and pop all of them into a bowl or mixer. Grease your loaf tin with butter.

2. Mix until the mixture is free of lumps, and is smooth. 

3. Melt the Nutella in the microwave for 20 seconds (or more/less depending on your micro) until almost runny.

4. Pour the Nutella into the mixture and carefully fold in, to ensure you create that lovely swirl design once baked.

5. Carefully pour into the tin and bake for 1 hour, or until golden brown and cooked through (test with a skewer in the middle - it's done when it comes out clean).

6. Cool for a couple of minutes, and then lift out onto a wire rack to cool thoroughly.

7. Once cooled, spread the rest of your Nutella to your preference, on top of the loaf. 

Micro Roastery, Canterbury

I had been admiring this place for a long while, and had heard so much about it, that I thought I would give it ago today, in order to cure my coffee pang. All the good things I heard were true. The place is amazing. All the coffee is sourced directly from the farms all over the world, and the beans are freshly ground depending on what coffee you are having. 

After many indecisive minutes, staring at the large beans dispensers hanging on the wall, I asked for the Barista's advice. She recommended the Brazilian bean and for it to be brewed in the Air Press (I think that's what it's called!) The coffee came like an Americano with no milk, and when I tasted it, it didn't need sugar. It was so mellow and easy to drink. 

During my coffee, I picked up one of the books displayed to read, which was a guide all about coffee. I learnt that the proper way to brew coffee with a Moka is to:

1. Make sure the water is hot when you fill it up. 2. Pre-heat your hob. 3. Brew with the lid open. 

I have been making my coffee wrong the whole time!! 

After my coffee and a nice chat about different grinds with the Barista, I decided to purchase the next level of intensity up, which she recommended was the Kenyan bean. 

The Kenyan coffee in its humble packaging. 

This evening I decided to give the new way to brew with a Moka a go. 

It tasted great with the Kenyan bean. Very smooth but aromatic. It wasn't strong and overpowering. Brewing this way made the coffee come out a lot more, and more concentrated. It tasted a lot fuller and flavoursome. 

I think next time I will try the next level of intensity and report back! Let me know if you visit the Micro Roastery, and what your thoughts are on the coffee. Happy brewing! 

Chocolate-y goodness

Hi readers,

I just wanted to share with you the most gorgeous, thick hot chocolate that I drank last night. 

I picked it up from Waitrose (I wasn't even looking for hot chocolate, but I couldn't resist!) My fiancé and I love the GU puds as  they're great when you are feeling lazy, and the chocolate just oozes out, so I thought I'd give this ago. And I was right. It was to die for. Try it out and let me know what you think! 

Perhaps you have tried a hot chocolate that is worth shouting about? I'd love to know as I'm always on the look out for the perfect hot choc.

Game pie, and a disaster

Oh what a day of cooking it has been! I started out with the plan of making the game pie (which has actually turned out to be just Venison, as that's all I could get) and then for the rest of the day to be for applying for more jobs and general housework (oh what a bore). However this did not happen. I couldn't stop staring at all the apples filling up our fruit bowl. I've never made apple conserve before, and I had just bought some Kilner jars...hmmm...

Next thing you know it, I'm scanning through my copy of Larousse Gastronomique (my second love!) for that apple conserve recipe I saw (by the way, you may see many more recipes from that book, adapted or not, pop up on this blog). Now despite some of my apples being different varieties, and that I don't have the proper equipment such as preserving pan or tongs to pick up the boiling hot sterilised jar, it turned out...badly. Another thing you will notice, is that I didn't fill up the whole jar. I didn't have any smaller jars, so it had to be that one. This meant I had to refrigerate it straight away after it cooled, since there's such a big gap between jam and lid, there's more room for things to go wrong, such as discolouring and the vacuum not vacuuming properly! Well things did go wrong. Here's my result:

What went wrong

My jam is rock hard.

I think because I added a Monin ginger syrup to the sugar and apples, the syrup caramelised and hardened. Please, if anyone has any other ideas of why this could be, do tell! I have no idea how I will get this out of the jar now. Smash it? 

Game Pie

I said to myself that I will only record recipes of my own in this blog, however I've realised that great recipes come from adapted recipes. This is why I've decided to share with you my outcome and opinion on the Game Pie recipe from Abel and Cole. 

I'm very happy with the outcome. The sauce was lovely and rich; the venison melt in the mouth. I didn't make my own puff pastry as I know its a faff, and if Mary Berry is okay with using frozen, it's okay with me!

The only thing I would say about this recipe is that its rather long winded. It required you to brown the game beforehand, take it out, brown the mushrooms and bacon, then make the sauce in the same pan, re-add the game and simmer for half hour, assemble in the pie dish and then wait to cool, and then put in the oven. I'm not sure if it's just me, but I think that the venison and sauce could be made at the same time, and I don't think its necessary to allow it to cool before putting in the oven. I didn't bother as I got hungry! 

Jess x