Sticky Toffee Banana Bread Food

STICKY TOFFEE BANANA BREAD

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Butter and line a 900g loaf tin with a strip of baking parchment.
• Beat the butter and both sugars in a bowl for 5 mins with an electric whisk until really fluffy. Whisk the eggs, banana and yogurt in a separate bowl until mostly smooth, then whisk this into the butter and sugar mixture. Fold in the flour and baking powder until just combined, then fold in the dates and nuts. Spoon into the tin, smooth over the top and bake for 1 hr-1 hr 15 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then lift out using the strip of parchment. You can serve it warm now, or leave to cool completely on a wire rack. Will keep for four days in an airtight container.
• Meanwhile, make the toffee sauce. Put the sugar in a heavy-based frying pan and melt over a medium-low heat until light golden brown and liquid - don't stir, just tilt the pan to melt the sugar. Carefully whisk in the butter until smooth, then pour in the cream slowly and bring to a bubble. Mix until the sauce is smooth and shiny. Pour into a heatproof bowl, cover and leave to cool to room temperature.
• For the brittle, put the sugar in a frying pan with 2 tbsp water over a medium heat, stir briefly, then simmer for 10 mins until the caramel turns amber. Don't stir after the initial mix, just tilt the pan to get an even deep golden colour.
• Meanwhile, line a baking tray with baking parchment. Carefully stir the nuts, banana chips and salt into the caramel, until well coated, then pour onto the tray. Tip the tray (or use a spoon) to make sure the nuts are in a single layer - or they will be harder to separate later. Leave to cool completely before breaking the brittle into shards.
• Stir the toffee sauce to loosen if it's become stiff, or warm for a few seconds in the microwave (add a splash more cream if you need to), then drizzle over the cake so it drips down the sides. Top with the shards of brittle. Will keep for two days in an airtight container.

STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING

Steps:

• For the sauce: In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 1/4 cups of the heavy cream, the sugar, corn syrup and butter. Cook, stirring often, until a dark amber color, about 40 minutes. Carefully add the remaining 1 1/4 cups heavy cream. IT WILL BUBBLE UP AND IT IS HOT!
• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease seven 1/2 cup ramekins and set aside.
• Combine the dates and 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan and cook until the dates are softened, about 15 minutes. Puree in a blender and cool. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, egg, zest and date puree. Stir in the dry ingredients. Divide into the prepared ramekins and bake about 20 minutes. Cool slightly and remove the cakes from the ramekins. Slice the cakes in half horizontally. Rinse out the ramekins. Pour a little toffee sauce in the bottom of the ramekins and top with the bottom layer of the cake. Add more toffee sauce, place the top cake layer on top and cover with more sauce. Heat slightly before serving invert onto plate and yes ...cover with more sauce. Serve with whipped cream.

STICKY TOFFEE BANANA PUDDING

Steps:

• For toffee sauce:
• Bring 1 1/4 cups cream, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, and 1/8 teaspoon salt to boil in heavy small saucepan over medium heat, whisking until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook at gentle boil until sauce coats spoon thickly and is reduced to 11/2 cups, whisking occasionally, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Whisk in 3 tablespoons or more cream to thin sauce to desired consistency. DO AHEAD: can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm slightly before using.
• For banana cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8 x 8 x 2-inch nonstick metal baking pan. Dust baking pan with flour, tapping out excess.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in mashed bananas, rum, and vanilla (batter may look curdled). Add dry ingredients in 4 additions, beating just to blend after each addition. Spread batter evenly in prepared baking pan.
• Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 35 to 38 minutes. Spread 1/2 cup toffee sauce evenly over cake. Return cake to oven and bake until sauce is bubbling thickly, about 6 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 30 minutes. Cut around cake in pan. Cut cake into 9 squares or 12 rectangles. Serve cake slightly warm or at room temperature with toffee sauce and top with sliced bananas, if desired.

BANANA DUMPLINGS WITH TOFFEE SAUCE

Steps:

• Sift flour, baking powder and cinnamon into a bowl.
• Rub in butter.
• Stir in sugar, banana, and enough milk to form a sticky dough.
• To make the sauce, combine all the sauce ingredients in a saucepan.
• Stir over a low heat, without boiling until the sugar has dissolved.
• When it has dissolved bring to the boil, without stirring and then reduce the heat to a simmer.
• Drop tablespoons of dough mixture into the simmering sauce and simmer them, covered, for 15 minutes or until they are cooked.
• Serve the dumpling with the toffee sauce.