No-Frills Recipes ... cooking, baking & excerpts on travel

I have never made banana bread before and when I chanced upon a video on Youtube  by Apron demonstrating how this bread is made, I was game to give it a go.  What was the deciding factor that urged me to try this recipe?   Yes, it's the oval shaped cheesecake moulds.  A friend gave me two of these cheesecake moulds and I've hardly had the opportunity to make use of them.  This Banana Bread Loaf do look very pretty baked in this mould and not only that, the bread loaf itself is soft and delicious with a hint of banana fragrance. Banana Bread Loaf  ~   香蕉面包   Ingredients 350 gm high protein flour 4 Tbsp caster sugar 1 tsp salt 2 Tbsp milk powder 1 egg about 55 gm without shell 70 ml milk 1/2 Tbsp instant dried yeast 40 gm unsalted butter, cut into cubes 100 gm mashed banana Oil or butter to brush on the loaf after baked  (I used oil) Method Sieve flour  into mixing bowl.  Add milk...

I had posted a Cranberry Raisin Bread using the 'gelatinized' method, quite a while ago.  But this time, instead of using custard filling, I chose to use marmalade.  I must admit that making bread is quite tedious and time consuming, as it entails proving the dough, twice.  It was no joke sweating out in the kitchen, kneading the dough but the plus point is that the dough doubled in size in a pretty short time, because of the hot weather.   Time to relax and enjoy the fruits of my labour with a cup of hot tea! Almond Flakes Raisin Loaf  ~  杏仁片葡萄干面包  Ingredients for gelatinised dough 50 gm high protein flour 35 ml boiling water Method Mix the above with a spatula to form a dough. cling  wrap and keep in the refridgerator for about 12  hours or overnight. Ingredients for bread dough 200 gm high protein flour 37.5 gm sugar 10 gm milk powder 1.1/8 tsp dried instant yeast 1/2 tsp salt 85 ml cold water 1/2...

This moist and delicious Banana Loaf is a quick bake with loads of banana flavour. While it is baking in the oven your home will be filled with tempting banana aroma and before long you will be rewarded with a slice of your very own freshly baked banana bread.  This is also a great way to use up your overripe bananas. Banana Loaf  ~  香蕉蛋糕 Ingredients 150 gm plain flour 90 gm wholemeal flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/8 tsp salt 100 gm caster sugar 3 overripe bananas, about 300 gm (mashed) 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 tsp vanilla 1/3 cup buttermilk (milk + 1 tsp vinegar) 2 eggs 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1 to 2 bananas, cut raw sugar to sprinkle on top Method Sift plain flour, baking soda and salt into a mixing bowl.  Mix and whisk in wholemeal flour and cinnamon, set aside. In another bowl, whisk sugar, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla and add in the mashed bananas. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.  Do not overmix. Scoop batter into a...

This is an easy peasy recipe where no mixer is required.  Method is more or less like making muffins.  The texture of this banana loaf is soft, moist and there is a perfect blend between the aromatic bananas and chocolate chips. Chocolate chip banana bread   ~    香蕉巧克力蛋糕 Ingredients 1/4 cup oil 100 gm caster sugar 1 tsp lemon/orange zest 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 1/2 cup choc chips 188 gm plain flour 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup (about 300 gm) over-ripe bananas, mashed (about 3) 1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional) Extra choc chips to sprinkle Method Grease and flour a 8.1/2" x 4.1/2" loaf pan. Whisk flour, bicarbonate soda, salt and sugar.  Set aside. Mash the bananas and mix in oil and beaten eggs. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture. Stir in choc chips.  Do not overmix. Spoon batter into the loaf pan.   Level the surface and sprinkle on some choc chips. B...

This full of pumpkin goodness tea bread is moist, fragrant and can be enjoyed at all times of the day. It matures and tastes the next day as the pumpkin and cinnamon are enhanced the day after. Pumpkin choc chip bread  ~    金瓜巧克力面包 Ingredients 150 gm plain flour 70 gm wholemeal flour 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 2 tsp cinnamon 2 large eggs 50 gm brown sugar (I used panella sugar) 70 gm caster sugar 340 gm smashed pumpkin 120 ml canola oil 1/4 cup ml milk 100 gm choc chips a pinch of salt Method Remove the skin, seeds and membrane from the pumpkin, cut into cubes and steam till soft.  Drain off the water and smash the pumpkin. Whisk the flours, bicarbonate of soda, salt till well combined, set aside. Whisk the eggs, milk, sugars, then add in the oil and mix till no oil surfaces. Add the mashed pumpkin. Pour this mixture into the flour mixture and gently fold in the choc chips.  Do not overmix. Pour the batter into a gre...

This moist Chia Seed Banana bread makes a great snack or a quick breakfast.  Loaded with chia seeds and lots of banana flavour, one can enjoy it with a cup of steaming hot coffee or tea. Chia Seed Banana Bread ~   香蕉种子蛋糕 Ingredients  150 gm plain flour 90 gm wholemeal flour 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 2 'L' eggs 3 Tbsp Chia seeds 1/8 tsp salt 55 gm caster sugar 55 gm brown sugar (I used Muscovado sugar) 300 gm over ripe bananas, mashed. (about 3 bananas) 1/2 cup canola oil 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/3 cup Buttermilk (1/3 cup milk + 1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice) 1 banana, slit into half Method Line a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan with parchment paper, set aside. Mix the  buttermilk and let it sit for about 10 mins. or more. Whisk the plain flour, wholemeal flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda thoroughly. Add in the chia seeds and cinnamon.  Mix well. In another bowl, beat the eggs, caster sugar, muscovado su...

This is a simple light sponge cake, moist and soft, full of fruity aroma.  I baked them in a mini loaf pan, drizzled on some fresh passion fruit and finished off with a dust of icing sugar.  I added some pulp and seeds in the batter to give it more crunch and the result was a 'Yum'  .......definitely a keeper recipe for sure! Passion Fruit Cake  ~  百香果蛋糕   Ingredients 3 passion fruits 100 gm caster sugar 100 ml canola oil 2 eggs 50 ml plain yoghurt 150 gm self-raising flour 1 tsp  baking powder 40 gm almond meal 2 Tbsp seeds Zest from a lemon Seeds and icing sugar to decorate  (optional) Method Press passion fruit pulp through a sieve, retain the juice and seeds. In a mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, eggs, yoghurt and passion fruit juice till well combined. Sift flour and baking powder into the batter, mix on low speed.  Mix with a spatula and add in the lemon zest and almond meal. Add in 2 T...

I was mesmerised by the gorgeous colour of this Purple sweet potato bread made with purple sweet potato flour from Japan.   The purple colour is very intense for I thought that there will be some reaction with the yeast, colour wise, that is.  Although the dough did rise double in size on the two stages of proofing but once I removed the cling wrap, it 'deflated' and didn't rise much during baking.  As you can see this bread is of low loaf volume, but the texture is soft and you can taste and smell the sweet potato although it's dense and filling. Served with a spread of peanut butter! Purple sweet potato bread  ~   紫色番薯面 包 Ingredients 3/4 cup lukewarm water 1.1/4 tsp dry yeast 1/4 Tbsp sugar 142 gm high protein flour or bread flour 60 gm Japanese purple sweet potato flour  14 gm softened butter 1 tsp milk Method Combine lukewarm water with dry yeast and sugar.  Mix well, set aside for 10 mins. In a mixing bowl, mix hi...

This banana bread baked in a cylindrical tin or a Nut Loaf tin has a soft, steamy texture and I especially like the top part of the bread which rose up like a mushroom.  It is crunchy and chewy with a slightly sticky centre.  Best to serve it warm with a slather of butter and some piping hot tea! Sultana Banana Bread in a Nut Loaf tin ~  葡萄干香蕉面包 Ingredients  115 gm plain flour 50 gm sultana, chopped coarsely 40 gm caster sugar 57 gm butter, melted and cooled 227 gm over-ripe bananas, mashed with a fork. 1 egg slightly beaten 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/8 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1/8 tsp salt 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp vanilla Method Grease the tin generously with melted butter and dust it with flour.  Set aside. Combine and whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and sultanas.  Leave aside. Combine mashed  bananas, egg and melted butter and vanilla. Lightly fold the wet ingredients into the dr...

This is a moist quick bread bursting with the flavour of sweet figs and crunchy walnuts with a slight hint of cinnamon.   The chopped dried figs need to be softened by adding boiling water, a bit of salt, baking soda, stir and leave to cool to room temperature.  The whole lot together with the liquid is then added into the batter.  I used Rapadura sugar which is an unrefined sugar from the Uva province in Sri Lanka.  You can read more about Rapadura sugar from 'here'. Figs & Walnut Tea Bread ~  无花果和核桃蛋糕    (adapted from 'here' with modifications) Ingredients 225 gm Figs, softened and chopped 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda a pinch of salt 1 cup boiling water 50 gm walnuts, lightly toasted and chopped 260 gm plain flour 70 gm Rapadura sugar (can use brown or caster sugar) 1.1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp cinnamon 113 gm cold butter, cut into cubes 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1 tsp vanilla Me...