I decided on an all time favourite of mine: Banana Shortbread. I'm nuts about bananas and everything else that has bananas in them...so I couldn't wait to get started.
I managed to get the recipe from one of my Mum's numerous cookbooks called The World Of Bread by Alex Goh. It's chockful of very-easy-to-make bread recipes with accompanying great colourful pictures so you know what to expect when you open that oven!
I don't know if its alright to put up the recipe here so I'll resist doing that...instead you can view an alternative one which looks just as yummy at the Joy Of Baking webby.
Made a few modifications as usual to the recipe - I love adding that personal touch! - by adding almond slivers together with the chopped roasted walnuts, and a little vanilla essence which I thought really brought out the aroma of the bananas.
My house was filled with the a bevy of mouth watering aromas of roasted walnuts, almonds and bananas together with the smell of freshly baked bread....I simply couldn't wait to sink my teeth into a slice!
I had to extend the baking time by as much as 10 minutes because it was still a little uncooked right down the middle...but this is normal as every oven will have it's own timing...you just have to fiddle around with it to get yours figured out.
I felt it was abit too sweet in the end, but that was kind of expected because the bananas that I used were sweeter than usual. I had already reduced the sugar used by about 50 grams, but apparently there still is room for more reduction. I guess it all depends on the bananas that you use. Also, it being a shortbread, the final texture is more cake-like than bread.
But it felt good all the same to munch on a slice!
