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Thank Banana's its Friday


Are You Banana's about Bananas?

Well I am......

One women's ongoing mission to make as many weird and wonderful recipes as possible using the humble banana.  

When I first started experimenting with Dairy free and vegan baking, I learnt that Banana's were  a wonderful alternative ingredient.  The only extra worked required, was the fun job of mashing them to a puree.  Since then Iv been kind of obsessed chasing down as many global recipes as I can find using my favourite fruit.


First Experiment: 

Lately Iv been trying to find recipes for a Banana Caramel sauce, without much success.  There are lots of recipes for banana's cooked in caramel sauce, but they weren't what I was looking for.  I decided to take another track, and find a recipe that I could easily convert


Banana Caramel sauce
I found a great recipe for dairy free  Apple Cider Caramel sauce recipe  from www.babble.com. Which uses apple cider, rather than cream as in traditional recipe.  I switched the 1/2 cup of apple cider in the recipe for pureed banana.  

My caramel sauce creation turned out a lovely golden colour and tasted wonderfully of banana's.  For a first attempt, I was pretty pleased and would definitely make this recipe again.  

The only main problem I had, was that it wasn't really thick enough to make my millionaire shortbread.  Next time I would add more cornflour too create a firmer texture.  However it does make a perfect caramel sauce for pouring over, dairy free Ice cream, cheesecake or pancakes.   

Second Experiment:

I found this recipe for Vegan banana Welsh cakes from dame fandango blog a few months ago.  I'd just never got round too making it before.

Banana Welsh Cake's
(There are only 3 left to take a photo of, as Id already scoffed down the rest)

As a fellow Celtic nation, making Welsh cakes just seemed appropriate somehow.  There a strange cross between griddle scones and scotch pancakes.  I swapped the 3 tbsp of walnuts for raisins, as that's what I had on hand.

The final result is incredibly stodgy but in a good way.  There really moreish so I was glad the recipe only makes just enough for 2 people.  I only have a non stick frying pan you really need a cast iron one to make these.  Though not really the traditional cooking method, I think these would bake just as well in the oven.  

There best served warm or toasted and spread simply with vegan butter.  Mmmm wish I'd kept some of the banana caramel sauce to pour over them xxx





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