Banana and Chocolate Loaf

I've pretty much spent this entire week in the kitchen. First of all we had a sudden crop of pears from the tree in the garden. It's the tallest pear tree I have ever seen, God only knows how many years it's been there but its been pear, after pear, after pear for the past couple of weeks and there really is only so many you can eat. But before I could decided what exactly to do with them, we had an abundance of overripe bananas to deal with first.

And there's only one thing meant for a bunch of overripe bananas in my house.

Banana and Chocolate loaf.

Ohhhhh yes catch a whiff of those bad boys and you'll be on the next flight to foodie heaven.

Banana Loafs are one of my favourite tea time treats. Especially in Autumn when they're served warm straight from the oven. 

To make enough for one 900g loaf tin you'll need:

250g plain flour
175g dark chocolate pieces (70% cocoa solids)250g caster sugar1 tsp vanilla extract2 eggs125g butter4 ripe bananas2 tsp baking powder

First get your oven heating up, set it to 180°C and grease a 900g loaf tin and line with baking paper. I decided to do two smaller loaves so I lined two 500g tins.

Start by creaming the butter and sugar until nice and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time and mix well after each one. Then add the vanilla extract and mix again.

Sift together the flour and baking powder then gradually add to the batter and beat well.

Mash your bananas and beat them into the mix too. 

Finally, stir in the chocolate pieces.

Once you're done, pour the mixture into the loaf tin and bake in the center of the oven for about 50 minues. 

I made two slightly smaller loaves and they took about 40-45 minutes, just keep your eye on them and take them out when they're golden brown and until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. 

Leave them in their tins to cool.

Or if you're as impatient as me, carefully take them out....

It's usually best to remove the baking cases before tucking in...

Et voila! Banana and Chocolate loaf at it's finest.
Sit down, grap a cuppa and get to munchin'.

Or if you're anything like my family, you'll have started to cut it before you've had a chance to sit down.

You can't leave them for 5 minutes. Absolute animals!

This Week I love...

You know when you're trying to save some pennies and limit your outgoings? Yeah, well despite my best efforts this week I've pretty much loved doing the opposite to that. Spending.

It all started when I tripped and fell into the make up department of John Lewis (when I say 'tripped and fell' I may mean that I walked in there entirely on my own account and should be held totally responsible for what happened next, but I'm still going to make you believe that I tripped, ok?) and I really did come out with more than just a damaged purse. I also seemed to have encountered the Bobbi Brown stall along the way, as when I got home I found a couple of glossy black boxes in my bag. Concussion from the whole ordeal must have been bad as I can't for the life of me think how they got there..

The contents of these black boxes were these little treats

Bobbi Brown Face Touch Up Stick in Warm Sand

and the Concealer Blending Brush.

Oops!

I had been meaning to refresh my concealer options for quite a while now, but it took for me to acquire the biggest and reddest spot ever known to man to appear on my face to give me the push I needed to finally choose one. The one I had previously been using had never really done the job, it was too cakey, wasn't the best colour for my skin tone and didn't give brilliant coverage. Not ideal when you've got a zit the size of Pluto on your chin! So I took the plunge and went to my go-to make up brand, Bobbi Brown who sorted me out good and proper with their Face Touch Up Stick. It's a really light, creamy consistency and will cover even the most angry of blemishes. I would show you the difference it made to mine, but I'm not sure I'm ready to share my massive mug with you all just yet, and believe you me, you're not ready to see it either!

The stick is a perfect size for popping in your handbag, making those touch-ups on the go so much easier. I've been using the Concealer Blending Brush from the range to apply it but if you're out and about and have left your brush at home *ahem* then you'll just about get away with using your fingers.

I've always been a huge supporter of the Bobbi Brown Brushes, they pretty much make up my entire collection at home and I absolutely swear by them. They're soft, feel amazing on your skin, are super easy to clean and most importantly the hairs don't fall out all over the place! They aren't the cheapest on the market but I honestly can't recommend them enough. This one is perfect for covering up blemishes/ spots and also does a great job of under the eyes. No one likes eye bags!

For now though, my spots are saved so I guess I'd better put lock my purse away. At least until next time...

Rocky Road

This weekend one of my closest friends from university made the trip from her home in busy London to vist me in the Northamptonshire countryside. It goes without saying that I couldn't have her come aaaalllll that way without a home-baked treat awaiting her in arrival could I? As that just wouldn't be right now, would it?! Afterall who needs a better excuse than a day date with their bestie to have a slab of something chocolatey to munch on?

And a slab of something chocolatey is exactly what it was. A big slab-shaped chunk of rocky road to be precise. 

Just look at it. Sitting there in all it's chocolatey glory. 

What's that? 

You want the recipe?

You greedy lot. 

But I suppose as I've shoved these pictures in your face, I'd better cough up. You'd better buckle up though, as it's gonna be a rocky road...

You'll need:

1.5kg Milk Chocolate 

100g Maltesers

8 standard size chocolate bars roughly chopped- (mars bar/snickers work incredibly well)

100g raisins

100g marshmallows

100g cornflakes

Firstly pop all your ingredients except the milk chocolate into a big bowl, 

Then line a deep, square baking tray with grease proof paper and set to one side.

Next break up your milk chocolate and set over a Bain Marie. It's best to leave it until its completely melted and is silky smooth, but the occasional stir wont hurt. 

Once it's all melted pour the chocolate over the ingredients and mix until all of the chocolaty treats are smothered in the melted chocolate. Once you're happy pour the ingredients into the baking tray and press down with the back of a spoon.

Once it' s completely cool pop it in the fridge for a couple of hours or ideally over night until it hardens completely. When it's ready it should look a little bit like this...

And we all know what comes next don't we? 

Ohhhhh yes, grab a knife as it's time to cut this glorious slab of sin.

I always find it much easier once it's been out the fridge for a while, otherwise you end up giving yourself a bit of a work out and lets be honest no one needs that after a strenuous afternoon of baking.

Once you're done it's time to sit back, put your feet up and tuck in to a generous sample of your fine handy work. And I can assure you that you won't be disappointed.