Peanut butter, chocolate banana bread

If you fancy something moreish and moist then this banana bread is for you. Nothing fancy just really, really tasty! If you're like me and find yourself with a few overripe bananas this is the perfect recipe to transform them into. 

Ingredients
75g crunchy peanut butter 
125g  butter, softened
200g caster sugar 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
200g plain flour 
1 teaspoon baking soda 
3 large very ripe bananas
1 large ripe, but firm, banana
100g milk chocolate chips

Method

Preheat your oven to 160c and line a loaf tin. 

Heat the peanut butter in a pan until just warm and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.

Add in the vanilla.Sift together flour and baking soda.

Add one egg and a spoonful of flour, beat until smooth. 

Add the other egg and the remainder of the flour. 

Mash 3 bananas and add to the mixture.

Fold in the warmed peanut butter and chocolate chips. 

Pour mixture into the loaf tin. 

Slice the remaining firm banana in half and push gently into the mixture. 

Bake at 160c for 1 hour. 

Mini Lemon Meringue Tarts 

I made these miniature lemon meringue tarts at the weekend and was delighted with how they turned out. They are a little time consuming because of the different elements involved but are definitely worth the wait. 

Ingredients

Shortcrust Pastry
225g plain flour 
100g butter (diced)

Lemon Curd
4 lemons (juice & zest)
100g butter
325g caster sugar
8 eggs, 4 separated

Meringue
100g caster sugar 
25ml water 
50g egg whites  


Method
Put plain flour and butter into a food processor and blitz until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. 
Add 2-3 tbsp of water and mix until a firm dough forms.
Wrap the dough in cling film and chill for 30mins.

Heat oven to 160c. 
Roll out pastry and use to line mini fluted loose-bottomed tart cases, leaving a little pastry overhanging. 
Prick the cases with a fork and bake blind for 20 mins (removing the paper and beans after 15 mins) until pale golden brown. 
Set aside to cool. 
When cool, use a  knife to neatly level the pastry.

For the filling:
Put the zest, juice, butter and 225g of sugar into a saucepan. 
Heat gently until the sugar dissolves, then remove from the heat. 
Beat the whole eggs and yolks together, then stir into the pan. 
Stir over a low heat for 5-10 mins until thickened. 
Sieve into a bowl, then spoon into the cases. 

For the meringue:
Put the sugar and water into a saucepan over a medium heat with a thermometer resting in the liquid.
Start to slowly whisk the egg whites until just starting to foam.
Heat the sugar until it reaches 121°C then slowly pour into the egg whites while still whisking.
Turn the whisk up to full speed and whisk until cooled to room temperature.
Spoon the meringue into a piping bag and pipe onto lemon curd.
Using a blow torch, blast the meringue to give a bronzed effect.