Thermomix Banana Cake

Those black bananas lurking in the fruit bowl are perfect for this recipe.......if you love banana cake, you'll love this recipe even more, because some banana cake recipes can be on the heavy side.

Experimenting with recipes and seeing how the Thermomix performs with various cooking and baking tasks is really interesting, I appreciate it may be the opposite for some and all a bit of a yawn but we all have our own little quirks in life!  As I've previously documented I'm in no way connected with Vorwerk and if the machine can't perform certain tasks then I'll let you know!

I haven't used the whisk attachment very much and was curious to see how we got on - I've received a few emails from readers asking how the whisk performs, no worries here the whisk performs really well, providing you remove the measuring cup from the top of the jug to allow air inside. To date I haven't experimented whipping up egg whites but I'll let you all know if it's a success or fail.

I'm still getting used to speeds and times and the rule of less is more has to be remembered otherwise everything will be pureed or mashed up to within an inch of it's life.  I still have a love/hate relationship with washing up the jug, yes it will go in the dishwasher but it's easier to wash by hand.

Thermomix instructions are in italics

You will need: oblong baking tin approximately 30cm x 20cm greased and lined

2 eggs
200g soft brown sugar
300g banana, mashed
2 tsp bicarbonate soda
¼ tsp salt
130ml vegetable oil
240g plain flour
45g banana chopped

Icing
30g unsalted butter
225g icing sugar
100g cream cheese at room temperature
½ lemon, freshly squeezed

Method
1.  Preheat the oven to 170ºC/fan 150ºC.
2.  Whisk the eggs and sugar together until pale and fluffy using an electric whisk to make life easier.
Place the whisk onto the blade, remove the MC/Speed 3/10 minutes.
3.  Add the mashed banana, bicarbonate of soda, salt and oil  mix using a low speed until well combined. Sift the flour into the mixture, increase the speed gradually and keep mixing until no trace of flour remains. Fold in the chopped banana and pour the cake batter into the tin.
Add the mashed banana, bicarbonate of soda, salt and oil, Whisk 10 seconds/Speed 1. Add the flour and whisk 10 Seconds/Speed 3. Add the chopped banana 10 Seconds/Speed 3.
4. Bake for approximately 30-45 minutes depending on your oven, or until a skewer poked into the centre comes out nice and clean. Cool for 20 minutes before turning out onto a wire cooling rack.
5. For the icing: beat the butter and gradually add the icing sugar, cream together until pale - this may be easier using a wooden spoon. Now taking an electric hand whisk, add the cream cheese and lemon juice, keep on whisking until light and fluffy.
Add the butter, icing sugar, cream cheese and lemon juice to the jug TM 20 Secs/Speed 5, scrape down and mix for another 20 Secs/Speed 5.
6. When the cake has cooled spread over a generous layer of cream cheese icing.  Leave to set then cut into bars. Can be frozen in bars and defrosts really well too.

Can easily be made by hand and all you need is a bowl, wooden spoon and a sturdy whisk!

Pecan Sponge Squares

My husband isn't overly keen on cakes smothered in buttercream and he was delighted when I made this light textured cake which is rippled and topped with ground pecans.

This was another bake I made using my Thermomix, the cake batter took 20 seconds to mix!  I can now confidently say the finished sponge is comparable to using a food mixer or food processor.  If you like making sponge cakes in the traditional way then a food mixer will be fine.

A food processor or Thermie are ideal for this recipe, the pecans are ground and then put to one side whilst the cake is mixed.  I buy my pecans from the local Lidl store they are far too expensive in the supermarkets.

Adapted from Mary Berry's Absolute Favourites.

Conventional Method and Thermomix Instructions in Italics

100g butter, softened
2 large eggs
100g self-raising flour
100g caster sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract

For The Ripple
50g pecan nuts
10g light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

You will need: 20cm x 20cm tin greased and lined with baking paper.

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
2. Place 25g of the pecan nuts in a food processor and whiz until finely ground. Mix in a bowl with the light brown sugar and cinnamon, set aside.
Add the pecans to the jug TM 8 Sec/Speed 7.
3. Chop the remaining pecans by hand and set them aside for the topping.
Chop pecans TM 4 Sec/Speed 6.
4. Add the ingredients for the cake batter into a bowl, beat until combined.
Measure the ingredients into the jug TM 20Sec/Speed 5.
5. Spread just under half of the sponge mixture over the base of the prepared tin. Spoon over two-thirds of the pecan ripple mix in an even layer. Spoon over the rest of the cake batter and level with a palette knife. Swirl the handle of a teaspoon through the cake batter. Sprinkle over the rest of the pecan ripple and scatter over the reserved chopped pecans.
6. Bake for 30 minutes until just firm to the touch. Remove the cake from the oven and cool in the tin for 5-10 minutes, turn out on to a wire rack to cool. Cut into squares.
7. Will freeze.

You may also like:
Cappuccino Cake
Coffee, Walnut & Raisin Cake
Strawberry Cake

Plum and Pear Slice

We've been busy since the beginning of the New Year decorating our lounge and dining room. We set a deadline for the beginning of April to have all the painting finished and new carpet fitted. Mission accomplished and now we can look forward to getting out and about, enjoy the lighter and hopefully brighter days and organise some weekend breaks and holidays.

I've managed to feed us but the blog has had to take a rest for a while, however, I made this lovely red plum and pear slice for dessert which is ridiculously easy to make if you use a food processor or Thermie.

140g self-raising flour
140g softened butter
140g caster sugar
2 large eggs beaten
4 plums
1 pear
1 tablespoon of clear honey

You will need: a square tin 20cm x 20cm greased and lined with baking paper.

Conventional Method - Thermie Method is in italics

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Add the butter and sugar to the bowl and cream until light and fluffy, now beat in the honey. Gradually add the beaten eggs and if the mixture looks as if it is about to curdle add a tablespoon of the flour.  Or if using a food processor simply add everything to the bowl and whiz until combined ensuring you don't over process or the cake will be tough.
Add the flour, softened butter, caster sugar, honey and eggs to the jug TM 1 Min/Speed 3.5.
2. Stone the plums and chop into large pieces. Slice and chop the pear. Fold the fruit into the mixture.
Add the stoned and chopped plums and chopped pear to the bowl TM10 Secs/Stir until combined.
3. Pour the cake batter into the lined cake tin, bake for 45–50 minutes covering if the sponge is getting too dark.

You may also like:
Plum, Rhubarb and Apple Crumble
Tray Baked Pear Meringue
Roast Pears with Star Anise, Blackberries & Lemon

Bakewell Tarts

I love a bit of nostalgia and I remember eating these Mini Bakewell Tarts when I was growing up, they were a favourite in our house on baking day.

The pastry is thin and crispy and a teaspoon of quality raspberry jam is placed in the base topped with a delicious almond frangipane filling and a scattering of flaked almonds. Ice them if you wish after they are baked and cooled.

Some time ago Aldi was selling Cotswold MaizeBite Flour and this makes the most delicious golden crispy pastry - here at Kitchen Delights we give this product 10/10.

I made the pastry and frangipane in the Thermomix, no surprise there then!  I'm still happy with my ridiculously expensive purchase. After reading countless reviews about similar machines I'd still say put your money into a Thermie, which means you won't get buyers regret, or carry on using your trusted food processor or mixer.  That said, there are some fabulous multifunction/multicookers around at the moment and these look like interesting pieces of kitchen kit, some are getting really good reviews and must be worth taking a look at.  I for one would love to know how well they perform.

You may also like:
Iced Bakewell Tart
Raspberry Bakewell Cake
Raspberry and Almond Cake

Conventional Recipe and Thermomix Method in Italics.

Makes: 12

You will need: a large deep bun tray or if shallow will make 18 small tarts.

Pastry
150g plain flour
75g butter, cut into cubes
35g icing sugar
1 egg beaten, you may only need 2 tbsps
to bring the mixture together

Frangipane
100g butter, softened
100g caster sugar
3 large eggs
100g ground almonds
1 tsp almond extract

Filling and Topping
Raspberry Jam
a few flaked almonds

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
2. Add the flour, butter and icing sugar into the bowl of a food processor, whiz until the mixture is the consistency of breadcrumbs. Add the beaten egg and pulse until the dough starts to come together. Knead lightly, Wrap in clingwrap and chill for approximately 30 minutes.
Weigh all the pastry ingredients to the bowl 25 Secs/Speed 4. Remove from the bowl, wrap in clingwrap and chill for 30 minutes.
3. For the frangipane, place the butter and sugar into the food processor and blend until soft. Add the eggs and whiz again. Add the ground almonds, flour and almond extract and mix briefly.
Weigh the ingredients into the bowl TM 1 min/Speed 3.
4. Roll the pastry out thinly and cut out 12 x 8cm circles. Line the tin with the pastry rounds. Place a teaspoon of raspberry jam into each pastry circle and top with the frangipane mixture. Sprinkle over a few flaked almonds.
5. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the tin from the oven and cool for a while on a wire rack.

Tear and Share Granary Bread Rolls Recipe

I'm experimenting with the Thermomix TM5 and comparing it to my other kitchen gadgets, halving the quantities in a bread recipe was this weeks project.  It's certainly a great machine for mixing and kneading the dough but if you're contemplating buying one please be aware that you can't leave the machine unattended whilst it's mixing dough because it will move and bounce around from time to time.  I've got a sturdy food mixer that will make dough without moving, although I wouldn't leave it unattended, whilst my bread machine just gets on with it.

The Thermomix takes 6 minutes to knead and achieve the windowpane test.  My food mixer 10 minutes or so and the bread machine 2 hours 20 minutes but that does include the first prove.

If I was to give them a score for the finished product it would be Thermomix 10, bread machine 9 and food mixer 8.

Here we go with the Thermie by simply throwing everything into the bowl.........

The finished dough......

After the first prove I rolled them into 7 even balls to create the sunburst......

The proved and decorated rolls......

Thermomix Recipe: with conventional method in italics
½ tsp easy blend yeast
150g strong white bread flour
100g strong malted bread flour
½ tsp sea salt
½ tbsp runny honey
75ml water
75ml milk
Sesame, pumpkin and sunflower seeds for decoration

1. Mix the water and milk together and warm to lukewarm.  Place the wet and dry ingredients into the jug.
Place the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl, add the water and milk mixture heated to lukewarm.
2. TM Setting Knead/6 minutes.
Fit the dough hook and knead for 10 minutes.
3. Turn the dough out into a greased bowl and leave covered to rise until double in size.
4. Remove the dough from the bowl and cut into 7 pieces and shape into rolls.
5. Place them onto either a greased, floured or lined baking tray and arrange them into a sunburst shape. Cover and leave to prove until double in size.
6. Preheat the oven to 220C/Fan 200C.
7. Brush the rolls with water and scatter over sesame seeds to the outer rolls. The middle roll may be decorated with sunflower and pumpkin seeds.
8. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.
9. Place the rolls onto a wire rack to cool.

More recipes:
How to make finger rolls
Fougasse
Apricot Couronne
Red Onion Focaccia

Raspberry Bakewell Cake Recipe

This cake is the perfect rainy day bake, it's easy to make, cuts well and can be frozen in slices.
I love a cake that can be eaten as dessert too and a dollop of either cream or creme fraiche on the side is the perfect accompaniment.

This cake looks pretty even before it gets to the baking stage. I decided to gently press the raspberries into the batter just in case they sank but guess what not one single raspberry sank. If you make this cake I'd definitely recommend stirring a few raspberries through the batter before baking.

The cake can be made successfully in one bowl using the all in one method if you wish to save time or made in a food processor by mixing everything but the fresh raspberries and flaked almonds together until blended.  On this occasion I used the Thermomix and I've included the method for this too.

You will need: 20cm springform buttered and lined with baking parchment.

150 g butter, softened
150 g caster sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp almond extract
50 ml milk at room temperature
150 g self-raising flour
150 g ground almonds
150 g fresh raspberries
25 g flaked almonds

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
2. Cream the butter until soft using a food mixer. Add the sugar to the bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Whisk the eggs and the almond extract together then gradually add the eggs beating all the time. Beat in the milk.
3. Add the flour and ground almonds to the batter and gently fold in. Add the raspberries and fold in carefully trying not to break them up too much.
4. Pour the cake batter into the tin, then scatter over the flaked almonds. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes.
5. Remove the cake from the tin and place on a wire rack to cool.  Dust with icing sugar.

Thermomix method:

1. Place room temperature butter and caster sugar into the bowl. Cream together 20 Sec/Speed 4.
2. Add the eggs, almond extract, milk, self raising flour and ground almonds mix 20 Sec/Speed 5.
3. Scrape down the mixture in the bowl.
4. Mix 20 Sec/Speed 5.
5. Pour the batter into a mixing bowl, add the flaked almonds and raspberries and gently combine.
6. Continue using the conventional method from 4. above.

You may also like:
Raspberry, Almond and Custard Cake
The Perfect Raspberry and Almond Cake
Fresh Raspberry and Almond Traybake
Raspberry, Chocolate and Almond Cake
Bakewell Tart