What a strange little moment we find ourselves in. It most definitely feels like that time between Christmas and New Year when no one knows what day it is and you’ve gone five days straight in your PJ’s, except it’s all a little less festive and with zero sign of the Bublé… But fear not! I’ll be here providing you with some easy enough bakes, using up the masses of time you have now accumulated and whatever you have lurking in the back of your cupboards. If you don’t have the nuts or dried fruit specified, go rogue and sub in whatever you have – pistachios or walnuts would work just as well, as would chopped dates, figs or even just the zest of an orange.
Sure, we can go fancy, but let’s take it really simply so even those of you who are capable of burning toast can get involved and do more than just lick the bowl clean for once…
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Ingredients
2 ripe bananas (around 200g)
100g unsalted butter, soft
150g plain flour, sifted
150g caster sugar
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
1tsp baking powder
2 eggs, medium
50g pecans, chopped
50g apricots, chopped
75g dark chocolate, melted
Method
Preheat your oven to 170C/150C and lightly grease a 1.5 litre loaf tin with a bit of butter and greaseproof paper. Leave to one side.
In a bowl, use a fork to mash up the bananas and then add in the butter and sugar. Use an electric whisk to mix well or a wooden spoon and a bit of elbow grease till it's light and fluffy.
Add in the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, eggs, pecans and apricots and mix well until fully incorporated.
Fold in the melted chocolate and then transfer to the lined loaf tin before popping into the oven for 50/55 mins. Double check it's done by using a toothpick to poke into the centre of the loaf and see whether it brings back crumbs or batter. If it brings back batter, place back in the oven for a further 5 mins.
Once cooked, remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack for about 5 mins before turning out and leave to cool slightly.
This is bloody delicious while it's still warm, so pop on the kettle and start binge watching Bake Off. You. Are. Welcome.
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