Dutch Apple Pie

June 30, 2018August 19, 2018 ~ Emme ~ Leave a comment

I originally took this recipe from Dutch Cooking Today and then naturally changed and adapted it into a recipe that works for me. I was gifted this cook book roughly 10 years ago by my Dutch friend and whilst there are some great recipes in it, there are also some that I will never make – ie super picky eater.

Sundays for me are for baking, taking paracetamol and procrastinating. Sundays are the day where I remember that Monday is on the horizon, its time to be an adult and prepare for alarm clock and corporate world that will greet me in less than 16 hours. I normally start the day with baking, allowing myself a few hours in the morning to wake up, take it slow and realise my long list of things I need to do (but most likely won’t).

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As you know, I like to take something baked goods in on Mondays to start the week off on a literal sweet note. Each week I like to bake something new for my colleagues, never repeating recipes where possible. I had a request for apple pie and I did what I do best. I told my colleague ‘no’ in a inappropriate way, even using a hand gesture (he wouldnt recognise me any other way and it goes without saying that Im as sassy in the office as I am outside of the office) and clearly stated that I dont take orders. I then came home and decided to surprise him and make his request. Why being boring when I can be entertaining and surprising instead? I had this super awkward moment at work, I took these pies in to work, colleagues ate them, said how good they were and then proceeded to give me a standing applause. Yeah, just a thank you would have worked and been far less embarrassing. HOWEVER, if I am able to impress my Dutch colleagues with my version of Dutch apple pie, then I feel like Im onto a serious winner! Ive been making this pie for years and its now officially gotten a standing ovation from real Dutchies this week.

I decided to make individual pies rather than a large pie, convenience, easy to eat and easier to take in to work. I doubled the below recipe to make 24 mini pies – yes, I had a LOT of happy colleagues.

Dutch Apple Pie

Makes: 1 large pie or 12 individual pies Prep time: 20 mins Bake time: 45 mins Total time: 65 mins

Ingredients:

2/3 cup (100g) raisins
1 1/2 cups (350ml) orange juice
2 cups (300g) plain flour
1/2 cup (100g) white sugar
1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar
pinch of salt
1 cup butter (chilled)
2lbs (1kg) firm apples
1 tablepsoon custard powder
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon all spice

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Now to make this Dutch approved apple pie

1. In a saucepan, combine the raisins and orange juice and bring to the boil and allow to boil until the liquid has evaporated, this will take 3-5 minutes. Set to the side.

2. In a large bowl combine the flour, sugars and a pinch of salt. Cut in the butter, in chunks and using a pastry knife (or two knives), cut in the butter until it resembles course bread crumbs, add in the all spice and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and then knead until a firm ball is formed. Alternatively use a food processor (sadly mine was out of action and I did it all by hand which took 5-10 mins).

3. Grease a large 10in pan or a muffin pan with butter. Press the dough 2/3 up your pan. You should have approximately 1/4 of your dough left. Refrigerate the pan and remaining dough.

4. Preheat the oven to 375F/175C.

5. Peel, core and slice the apples. For mini pies I chopped up the applies so they would cook more quickly. Put them in a bowl and combine with the raisins, custard powder, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of sugar.

6. Take your pan out of the refrigerator and arrange the apple filling over the dough. I tend to just throw it in and then flatten it with my hand. Try to push any raisins down, as they can burn. Take the remaining dough and crumble it over the top, alternatively you can roll it out and create strips over the top of the pies.

7. Bake for 45 minutes (for individual pies 30 minutes) or until golden brown. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes and allow to cool on a wire rack for mini pies. For mini apple pies, run a knife around the edge of the pan to aid removal from the pan. Keep refrigerated and consume within 3 days.

This pie is equally tasty no matter in its large or in a mini version. This is a great recipe if you want to impress friends, treat yourself, or add something special to brunch.

*Note for those who are unable to get Birds Custard Powder, use Jell-O French Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix instead and add in 2 tablespoons of the powdered mix.

Remember to share with friends (or colleagues) and enjoy! 🙂

Chocolate Pine Nut Tart

May 29, 2018May 29, 2018 ~ Emme ~ Leave a comment

I was recently made an honorary Dutch citizen, sounds exciting, right? Yeah, this means I was hit by a car whilst on my bike (if it weren’t for bad luck, I’d literally have no luck at all). Luckily it wasn’t my fault even though the car driver really wanted me to think that it was (insert several expletives) but it most certainly bruised my ego more than my legs (which were most certainly 50 shades of bruising). Im very lucky that I wasn’t seriously hurt, my legs were covered in bruises and I broke a nail (which upset me more than the bruising). I naturally heal slowly, so being covered in bruises whilst the weather has been nice has added insult to injury, all I really wanted to do is get out my lovely bronzed legs and show them off and three weeks later I was still in black tights. Ive now shed the tights, with a bit of bruising to show my roadkill survival.

One of my colleagues brought me a load of pine nuts on the basis ‘you bake, make something sweet with these’! Awesome… was not the first thought that I had. Ive never worked with pine nuts and was slightly clueless, however, this did not deter me. I have the ultimate sweet tooth and love a challenge to make new sweet things.

My Pinterest search began and I came across this awesome recipe, Chocolate Tart with Pine Nuts and decided to jazz it up and make it more to my taste. Heres the step by step tutorial on how to make this rich chocolate tart, which was enjoyed by many colleagues. They seriously love the fact that every Monday I bring in something different, new and something that most of them have never tried.

Chocolate Pine Nut Tart

Makes: 8-12 portions Prep time: 3.5 hours Bake time: 25 mins Total time: 4 hours approx

Crust ingredients:

1 cup (128g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (43g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup (100g) ground almonds
1/2 cup (67g) ground toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup (35g) toasted pine nuts
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon dried instant espresso grounds

Chocolate filling ingredients:

6 ounces (150g) dark chocolate
4 large eggs
1/3 cup (40g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch sea salt
1 shot espresso

Now to make this very nice and delicious tart:

For the crust:

1. Grind the pine nuts down, I found that they went into a paste, which was unexpected but understandable (and made a bloody awful mess in my coffee grinder). I would suggest maybe using a pestle and mortar to grind the pine nuts down.

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2. In a bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy. Add in the flour, cocoa, ground almonds, pine nuts (ground and whole), dried espresso and sea salt, mix at low speed until combined.

3. Roll the dough between sheets of parchment (greaseproof) paper to about 1/8-inch thickness. Refrigerate for a minimum of2 hours or overnight.

4. Once your dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F (180° C). Coat a 10-inch tart or springform pan with a removable bottom with butter or line a springform pan with greaseproof paper (like I did).

5. Carefully press the dough onto the bottom and sides of the pan (not going to lie, this was beyond tricky and difficult for me). Bake for 15 minutes (I let mine go for 25 mins because it just didnt look ‘done), until firm to the touch. Be prepared – the crust will slouch/fall down the edge of the pan a little as it bakes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool whilst making your chocolate filling.

For the chocolate filling

6. Melt the chocolate slowly over a bain marie (double boiler). Remove from the heat and let it cool slightly.

7. Using an electric mixer (or kitchen mixer) whip the eggs and sugar on high speed until very pale and thick, about 5 minutes. Add in the vanilla, espresso shot and sea salt. Gently fold a third of the egg mixture into the chocolate just until incorporated to lighten the mixture, then gently fold in the remaining egg mixture.

8. Immediately pour the filling over the cooled crust and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until puffed and set. A skewer or toothpick stuck into the center of the tart should show some crumbs but not a runny filling. Let cool before slicing into wedges.

9. Refrigerate any cake that you do not eat and consume within 3 days, if it lasts that long!

Verdict: Im not going to lie, it was a LOT of effort that took hours to make and the taste was like a very rich brownie. You cant taste the coffee, as it just enhances the chocolate flavour, which is amazing. Part of me was like, ‘seriously, its just easier to make brownies’ but my colleagues were very impressed and asked for the recipe. I get the feeling once they realise how much effort it takes, they will be less keen to make it. Having said that, it did make an absolutely awesome Monday treat in the office.

Remember to share with friends (or colleagues) and enjoy! 🙂

DIY Exfoliating Coffee Sugar Soap

October 22, 2017 ~ Emme ~ 1 Comment

I truly love the smell of coffee, there are very few things that even compare to the smell of freshly brewed coffee. Having said that, I am a weirdo (well, duh!) and only drink my coffee cold, occasionally lukewarm but NEVER hot, EUGH! Now lets mix two things that I love, showers and coffee, giddy up!

Im currently on a soap making kick, I had forgotten how nice (and fragrant) is it to make soaps. Great for a gift to others or yourself (win!). I also cheat and use melt and pour bases, why? If it weren’t for bad luck, Id honestly have no luck and there is something about using Lye to make soap that just gives me visions of horror. Its also impossible to get clear lye based soap for obvious reasons (ingredients used) and I like the effect you can get with a clear base, based on what you’re doing.

What makes this soap so good? It exfoliants whilst smelling awesome and doing great things for your skin = win win!

Coffee: Coffee grounds are soft, allowing them to naturally exfoliate dead skin, leaving skin silky smooth without irritation. Coffee is a diuretic, creams it can temporarily minimize the visibility of cellulite by drawing fluid away from fat cells. Coffee’s acidity helps to boost the skin’s protective barrier too, which keeps your skin healthier and happier.

Sugar: Its fine texture gently exfoliates the skin without leaving harmful residue that can clog the pores. It has moisturizing properties that prevents the skin from drying. It is safe to use even on children’s sensitive skin and to soothe chapped lips. Sugar is tough on cleansing the skin while retaining its natural moisture.

Cinnamon: Cinnamon helps remove dead skin cells and helps restore shine and suppleness to the skin. It has antifungal and antibacterial properties, helping enhance the complexion. Cinnamon improves blood flow and brings the oxygen and blood to the outer surface of the skin. (which backs up my claim that ‘Life is better with cinnamon’!)

Sweet orange essential oil: Sweet orange essential oil is full of antioxidants and has known benefits that spam a wide spectrum, including but not limited to increasing circulation, decreasing wrinkles, improving complexion, and decreasing hypertension.

Castor oil: Castor oil has many amazing benefits but must be used sparingly when making soap, as it can turn it sticky quickly. Castor oil heals skin inflammation that can be caused by sunburns, acne, and dry skin. It can also treat acne, fade blemishes and scars, and can provide relief from the joint and tissue pain.

Word to the wise: This soap is a messy soap, which forms part of the exfoliating experience. Exfoliating is a fun messy experience, sugar scrubs get everywhere, this is no different. Those who use this soap will notice a dirty shower/bath afterwards of coffee grounds, THIS IS A GOOD THING, it makes its has worked! Just make sure you wash down your shower/bath after you get out. AND avoid getting your bar wet between uses, this extends its longevity.

DIY Exfoliating Coffee Sugar Soap

Makes: 10 smallish soaps Making time: 15 minutes Dry time: 24 hours minimum Overall time: 25 hours

1lb/.5 Kg of Melt and pour base
1/2C (100g) sugar
1/2C (100g) coffee grounds (Ive found that flavoured worked great!)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon essential sweet orange oil
1 teaspoon vitamin e oil
1 teaspoons castor oil (or any other oil, oilve, almond, coconut etc)
1 teaspoon essential vanilla oil (optional but smells great!)

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Now to make this amazing smelling GOOD FOR YOU exfoliating soap.

1. Have your moulds ready! This soap sets quickly and you dont want to have it mixed and ready to go and then be faffing with getting yours moulds.

2. Cut your base into chunks and then melt it. I microwave mine at 30 sec intervals, when I start out. If using a large amount, I start at 90 secs and then go with 30 secs after that. If you are microwaving your base, ALWAYS cover your own with cling film. You can also use a double boiler/ban marie method to melt your base.

3. Once your base is fully melted, now the fun starts, making all the smells and having a fantastic sensory sensation! Add in your coffee, sugar, oils, and cinnamon. I always throw in a little extra coffee for good luck. Stir and mix to fully combine, giving a thick even mixture.

4. Now to pour into your moulds. You can spray with alcohol at this stage if you have a lot of bubbles, which this recipe, Ive never really had this problem but wild if you like.

5. Leave to set for a minimum of 24 hours. You can take them out of the moulds after a few hours but its never advised to use the soaps before 24 hours have passed. 20171021_184828

A very cute finished produce that smells amazing and does great things for your skin.

I package my soap in cellophane and attach a small label that explains what the soap it, it adds that something special. These are great for yourself or as gifts for friends and family or heck, turn your hobby into cash and sell them (for a good cause).

Remember to share with friends! 🙂

DIY winter skin potion

October 11, 2017November 22, 2020 ~ Emme ~ Leave a comment

As winter approaches you notice that you skin starts to feel less plump and healthy and more dry and cracked. Sadly my skin has been breaking recently when I knock against something. Frustratingly, no matter how much store bought lotion I seem to apply, it doesn’t make a real difference. I figured if I can make soap and lip balms, why not have a go at making something stronger than lotions I already buy. Thats exactly what Ive done and have to say, I’ve been pleasantly surprised.

Based on the ingredients, I think this is more of a butter than a lotion, so Im just going to call it a potion. I have hyper sensitive skin and need to be careful as to what I use. For me, this is a winner. Naturally this wont stop me from making and trying out other lotion potiony recipes! 🙂

I thought I have this clever thing called Google, it can answer my many questions (sometimes I ask why more than a three year old) and typed in What is the difference between lotion and body butter, apparently this is a common question. The answers varied but in short here is a summary:

Body Oils soften and nourish the skin, as they resemble the natural oils in our skin they are easily absorbed. However, as oils are not water-based they may be more likely to cause breakouts, so its best to avoid acne prone areas such as back, face, and chest. Oils are ideally applied to warm, damp skin, like after a shower or bath.

Body lotions are lighter than body butter and oils, as they contain more water than oils and butters and absorb quickly as a result. It doesn’t moisturise as much or last/stay on as long as a butter or oil do. Lotions are better for skin that isn’t as dry or for people who tend to have oilier skin.

Body butter is the thickest of the three potions and they provide the strongest possible protective barrier to seal and lock in moisture. Body butter products are typically manufactured using a combination of carrier oils and essential butters. Body butters are applied to retain moisture, nourish the skin and lubricate.

Why this potion is good for you:

Shea butter is an excellent moisturiser for the face and the body. It locks in the moisture in the skin and keeps it hydrated for long, without clogging the pores, and is effective for dry skin.

Vitamin E oil is a nutrient to the skin whilst preventing and repairing radical damage.

Frankincense essential oil can treat dry skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles, age spots, scars, and stretch marks.

Peppermint essential oil gives a cooling sensation and has a calming effect on the body, which can relieve sore muscles.

Eucalyptus oil has a cooling and refreshing effect whilst having vast remedial and healing properties.

A few things you need to know about this homemade potion, it is sightly greasy to begin with but it absorbs well. Its quite hard to begin with but softens/melts quickly with the heat of your fingers. You dont need a lot, in-fact use less than the size of a single pea to start out with, if you need more, get a little bit more but dont go crazy with it to begin with. Im using it currently as a everything lotion, Ive used it on my hands, feet (dry heels) and face (at night). Ive found that this works great on super dry skin overnight.

DIY winter Skin Potion

Makes: Just over a cups worth Prep time: 10 mins Making time: 2.5 hours Total time: 2 hours 40 mins minimum

100g shea butter
20g mango butter
5g avocado oil
15g apricot kernel oil (or you can remove Avocado and this oil and use coconut oil instead)
25g beeswax
2g of vitamin e oil
3g frankincense essential oil
2g peppermint essential oil
2g eucalyptus essential oil

Unfortunately for the amounts Im using it became a big awkward trying to measure this with cups, so I gave it and pulled out my metric scales and it made life much easier!

Now how to make this winter hydrating DIY potion:

If your beeswax is not already in pellet/small bead form, go ahead and grate it down. I use a cheap grater that I keep in my soaping box. This helps immensely when it all melts down, as the smaller pieces of wax melt more quickly (lesson learnt from previous potions).

wax

1. In a bowl or milk jug, combine the shea butter mango butter and beeswax. You can use a traditional double boiler (bain marie) with a glass bowl or go with my route, I use a milk jug (which I use specifically for my crafting/making ONLY) in a pan with water.

mix

2. Melt the ingredients over a low/medium heat in the double boiler. Do not rush this process, as you want the beeswax and butters to completely melt, which will solidify the potion making it creamy and rich. This should take between 10-15 mins.

heat

3. Take your liquid potion mixture off the heat and allow to cool down slightly. Maybe 5-10 minutes, feel the pan/bowl, if its too hot to touch, its too warm to add in the oils.

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4. Allow the mixture to cool slightly and add in the oils. You add them in after the oil is off the heat and cooled slightly, adding them before the mixture cools down will break down some of the therapeutic benefits of an essential oils (I forgot to shove the apricot kernel and avocado oil in the picture but I most certainly added it in).

oils

5. After mixing in your oils and giving it a good stir, go ahead and pour it into pots/containers. As I used rather small pots(13-30g), the solidified within from 5-20 minutes, as you can see the first pot was solidifying by the time I poured the last pot.

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This is no whip recipe, so once its become a solid, you’re done! As this mixture has beeswax, you really cannot whip it (believe me, Ive tried), it makes no difference. Once set, it is a hard potion that will soften with the heat of your fingers and skin when being applied.

potion

To use: Start with a pea sized amount and you’ll probably be surprised how moisturising it is and how just a little goes a long way.

Fancy some night time moisturising? Apply this potion liberally, massage and rub it in to your hands and feed for a few minutes and then put on a pair of cotton socks (or cotton gloves) after you apply the lotion. Leave overnight and your feet (or hands) will be moisturised and soft in the morning!

*Notes: When making body butters, potions, lotions, soaps or any body product, always make sure that the equipment, spoons, bowls etc you use will NEVER be used for edible purposes again and are only used to make body products with.

*When using any essential oils directly or indirectly on skin, ensure that you stay out of sunlight or UV rays for up to 12 hours after application. This might sound quirky but as per this article, the combination of sun and essential oils can cause the skin to severely burn and blister.

This works as great for your own dry skin and even better as a gift for friends and family, remember to share with friends and enjoy silky skin! 🙂

Pears, pears, pears

October 7, 2017October 7, 2017 ~ Emme ~ Leave a comment

Its the end pear season (and autumn, which actually means that Christmas is JUST around the country, AHHHHHhhhhhhhh) and my pear tree is starting to look sad. I gave away loads of pears and then decided that I should use what I have, whilst greedily thinking that maybe I shouldn’t have given away so many pears. I got out my ladder and waited for the rain to temporarily stop, and then I was up the tree, precariously trying to grab pears that I couldn’t quite reach. After I filled a bowl up and it started to rain again (wettest September in years) I had to decide what to make, so I came up with three ideas, I know, two more than usual and all three were actually good! I made some preserves, which Ill blog about at a later date and then I settled on cake, because you know, life is better with cake (and cinnamon)!

Pear Almond Cake

Makes: 1 large cake – serves 8-12 Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 45mins Total time: 65 mins

Required Ingredients:

3 large (or 5 small pears) cored and quartered
1^1/4 cup (250g) unsalted butter
½ cup + 1 tbsp (125g+ 1 tbsp) caster sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 eggs
1 cup (125g) self-raising flour
1 cup (100g) ground almonds

Now how to make this yummy cake:

1. Melt ^1/4cup (50g) of butter in a frying pan, adding 2 tbsp of sugar on medium to low heat. Continually shake the pan to create a golden brown caramel. Do not stir it, ie no spoons or spatulas, that will ruin your caramel, just occasionally swirl the pan (Not going to lie, my caramel mixture went SUPER weird and basically split but I was in a meh mood, so just went with it and threw in the pears and the pears seemed to sort the sauce and it worked in the end with a few bits of hard sugar that I took out). Add the pears and cinnamon and simmer for 5-10 minutes until browned. Set aside. The idea is not to cook them to mush at all, you kind of want them to be a bit al dente, slight bite but not hard.

2. Preheat the oven the 190C/370FC. Grease and flour a 22cm springform pan, or cheat and use a liner like I did!

3. In a large bowl, cream together the remaining butter and sugar. Mix in the eggs (I throw them both in at the same time and whisk like mad), before folding in the flour and ground almonds with a spatular or wooden spoon.

4. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, smoothing over the surface. Arrange the pears in the top and spoon over a small amount of the surplus caramely juice (or just haphazardly pour them all around like I did with all the sauce). Bake for 40-45 minutes

5.Once cooked, set the cake aside to cool (ideally on a wire rack). Once completely cooled, remove from liner or pan. Refrigerate any uneaten cake in a air tight container and consume within 4 days. Its yummy on its own but you can also serve with whipped cream or custard.

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Remember to share with friends and enjoy!

Notes: you can also make this gluten free by subbing out the self raising flour for GF flour, adding in 2 teaspoons of xantham gum and a tablespoon of baking powder.

My Dutch Italian Pear Cake

September 19, 2017October 7, 2017 ~ Emme ~ Leave a comment

The garden has a pear tree in it, which I seem to curse more than anything else. Imagine walking along and having a rotting pear fall on your head or every time you open the door to go out, you having to shove many fallen pears out of the way, first world problems I know but still VERY annoying. As you can see, it is a large tree offering LOTS of fruit. 20170907_082918

I started my search for recipes using pears, pears, pears and more pears and came across this Italian cake recipe, which sounded fantastic and I thought Id give it a go. Whilst it’s a Italian cake (because of the mascarpone), I’m calling it a Dutch Italian cake, as Im using Dutch pears.

Dutch Italian Cake

Makes: 1 large cake – serves 8-12 Prep time: 30 mins Cook time: 45-60 mins Total time: 1 hour 15-30 mins

Required Ingredients:

1½ (192g) cups flour
^1/4cup + 1^1/2tablespoons (40g) cornstarch/cornflour
½ cup (60g) ground almonds
^1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons baking powder
^{3/4 cup (150g) sugar}
3 eggs
1 cup (250g) mascarpone cheese
2½ tablespoons sunflower/vegetable oil
^{1/4 teaspoon salt}
2 pears
1 tablespoon cinnamon
extra cinnamon a sugar to top your cake with

Now how to make this amazing cake:

Pre-heat oven to 340° (170° celsius). Lightly grease and flour a 9″ (23 centimeter) cake pan ( I used a spring-form pan), or use a liner like I did.

1. Peel and core the pears, chop one pear into medium-sized cubes and slice the other pear in thin slices length wise, set aside.

2. Beat the eggs and sugar together until light and creamy. You can use a mixer at medium speed or your arm (I opted for this version to work on my bingo wings). I also whisked my eggs first before adding in the eggs, this doesn’t make a difference but give me peace of mind, not sure why… 20170907_084150

3. Add mascarpone to the egg and sugar mixture and continue beating until smooth.

4. To the egg, sugar, cheese mixture, add in your dry ingredients. Stir in with a wooden spoon the flour, salt, corn starch, ground almonds, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda into the creamed mixture, stir gently to just combine. Do not over mix.

5. Add the oil to the batter and stir to just combine.

6. At this point, I scape down all the sides, for the final mix through. Fold in the medium-sized cubed pear pieces until just combined. 20170907_085340

7. Spoon the cake batter into prepared cake pan.

8. Top your batter with the sliced pears (I had 3 left over), this can be done in any design but I decided to make mine ‘pretty’. 20170907_090039

I then sprinkled with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon before putting in the oven.

9. Bake approximately 45 – 60 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Enjoy! 20170907_095430

I had a friend coming over on the day and I was nervous about this recipe because I’d never made it before and she had never had my baking, but this was hit! I even sent her off to work with all the spare cake to feed to her colleagues at the Theatre she works at, they also really enjoyed it and are looking forward to my next baking adventure!

Remember to share with friends and enjoy!

Notes: I did actually add in almond extract, as I thought it would enhance the cake, please do NOT do this. It just make the cake taste of almond, which completely took away from the pears. Luckily Im in the Netherlands where almond is a beloved taste, so it wasn’t an issue as such but honestly, it did let down the cake.

Over ripe bananas

July 25, 2017October 26, 2020 ~ Emme ~ 2 Comments

Sometimes your cat likes to give you a gentle reminder to let you know you’re spending too much time on the Pinterest and not enough time with them. First world cat problems.

I dont really like to eat bananas on their own, I find them just too hard in texture. Having said that, I do like to bake with bananas. I like them to be overly ripe with black patches all over them, which is generally the state in which households let their bananas get to. I found a recipe for flapjacks that is as healthy as they come! As an American I grew up with granola bars, no such things really exist in the UK, you get flapjacks. Whats the difference? Granola bars tend to have more things in them, including chocolate and and lots of nuts, where as flapjacks tend to be more oat based with no extras. So I taken the humble version of a flapjack and utterly pimped it out!

This is a baked no processed sugar or diary, gluten free vegan friendly treat that will leave you coming back for seconds or thirds, assuming you haven’t already eaten them already!

Banana flapjacks

Banana Flapjacks

Makes: 1 9x13in Pyrex dish Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 25mins Total time: 35 mins

Required Ingredients:

3 1/3 cups (300g) gluten-free oats
3 bananas
1/3 cup (80ml) olive oil
1/3 cup (80ml) honey
1/3 cup (50g) pecan nuts, chopped
1/3 cup (50g) flaked/slivered almonds
1/3 cup (50g) dried cranberries
1/3 cup (50g) toasted coconut
1 tbsp cinnamon

Now how to make these pimped out flapjacks:

Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and preheat the oven to 350°F/ 180°C.
In food processor, throw in your peeled bananas and whizz into oblivion (or until smooth), alternatively smash your bananas in a bowl. I choose the easy option as per below.

processed banana.jpg

3. In a mixing bowl, mix the processed bananas, oats, honey, oil, pecans, almonds, cranberries, coconut and cinnamon. *handy trip, measure out the oil first and then the honey and the honey comes straight out without any extra persuasion.

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Your mixture should look something like this. banana flapjacks.jpg

4. Dump the mixture into your lined pan and spread out evenly into the pan, using your spatula to evenly smooth the surface, getting a even thickness throughout. 20170715_162235

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is lightly browned. Leave to cool, once cooled, cut into bars. banana flapjacks.jpg

Store in a air tight container and in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. banana flapjacks.jpg

Edits: you can pimp these out even further by adding not so healthy things such as chocolate chips or you can add even more healthy things like raisins or seeds. Have fun with them and make them to suit your taste.

Remember to share with friends and enjoy!