Banana, chocolate and walnut waffles

This month's theme for We Should Cocoa is bananas. Bananas and chocolate are one of my favourite combinations so my mind immediately went into overdive with ideas. I've baked cakes, cookies, muffins and cupcakes with this flavour combination. I wanted to do something a little different and my mind turned to breakfast or more specifically brunch. Weekend brunches are sacred in our house as we don't often have time to either be at home or sit and have a leisurely brunch. There are a few recipes that we always come back to for brunch and one of them is waffles. I have a waffle mould and I normally bake my waffles in the oven. However, I've always wanted to have a waffle maker but felt it was too indulgent.  We got married recently so I added it to our wedding gift list and was over the moon when one of J's friends bought it for us. I finally own a waffle maker and it was put to use the day after we received it! We had basic waffles with fruit and maple syrup and it was delicious. 

Waffles made with a waffle maker turn out light and crispy whereas the baked ones taste a little more cake like. This weekend we had time to have a leisurely brunch at home so I started experimenting with recipes and came up with this banana, chocolate and walnut waffles. The waffles were chocolatey with a hint of banana and the walnuts added crunch and texture. I served them with sliced bananas, chocolate chips and maple syrup. I debated about a chocolate sauce but decided that maple syrup would be better. The batter made 9 waffles so I have lots in the freezer to be toasted for breakfast during the week. 

I'm sending this to We Should Cocoa hosted by Choclette from Tin and Thyme. The theme this month is banana which of course has to be paired with chocolate. 

I'm also sending it to Brilliant Breakfasts hosted by Made with Pink. These make for a very filling breakfast especially with the bananas and walnuts. 

It's also going to Cook Blog Share hosted by Kirtsy from Hijacked by Twins. 

Finally to Bake of the week hosted by Helen from Casa Costello.

My new waffle maker! I sprinkled some chocolate chips on top of the batter before cooking. There's way too much batter in this as it was the first one but I learnt quickly after that! 

 Lovely chocolatey waffles with banana and walnuts baked in. 

 served with sliced banana, chocolate chips and maple syrup

Makes 9 large waffles in a waffle maker

240g plain flour

60g cocoa powder

2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

2 bananas

2 eggs

90mls vegetable oil

150g sour cream

200 mls milk

80g walnuts

sprinkling of chocolate chips

To serve

Sliced banana

Chocolate chips

Maple syrup

• I used a food processor to get a nice, smooth batter.
• Place the eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream, milk and whole banana and whole walnuts and blitz gently.
• Add in the dry ingredients and mix until smooth. 
• Be careful not to overmix the batter.
• Allow to sit for a few minutes. 
• Pre heat the waffle maker. When ready, add the batter but be careful not to put too much or it will spill out. Sprinkle some chocolate chips on top.
• Cook as per manufacturer's instructions. Mine took about 5 minutes. 
• Serve warm with sliced banana, chocolate chips and maple syrup. 

Banana, strawberry and white chocolate muffins

This month Dom from Belleau Kitchen asks us 'how do you like your eggs in the morning?' as his theme for SimplyEggcellent #5. My answer is that it would depend on what day it is. For weekends when there is time for a more leisurely breakfast which is usually brunch by the time we are up and ready it's got to be poached eggs. Smoked salmon, bagel and a poached egg is a particular favourite as well as waffles with fruit, bacon and a poached egg. On weekdays, breakfast is usually a quick and simple affair and more often than not it's muffins! Muffins are really easy to make - usually a mix all in one method and they freeze really well. They are easy to transport and are quite filling especially if you make them a decent size. I've made sweet as well as savoury muffins but almost always come back to a variation of a banana muffin. 

This recipe is another banana one and I used up ingredients that I could find - a box of over ripe strawberries, a bag of giant white chocolate buttons at the back of the cupboard and some yellowing bananas. I also found some frozen strawberries in the freezer which I added just before baking.  The muffins were really moist and flavourful and I loved the addition of the white chocolate buttons. I made a double recipe as I had a lot of ingredients and J and I both took some to work. The muffins disappeared really quickly and I had lots of positive reviews. 

I'm sending this to Simply Eggcellent hosted by Dom from Belleau Kitchen as muffins are a favourite breakfast food of mine which contains eggs.

I'm also sending it to the No Waste Food Challenge hosted by Elizabeth from Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary as this was a good way to use up over ripe bananas, very ripe strawberries and an old bag of white chocolate buttons. I also used up a bag of frozen strawberries which has been in the freezer for a few weeks. 

 adding chopped strawberries and white chocolate buttons (I made a double recipe in case you are wondering why there's so much batter!) 

 ready to go in the oven but not quite... 

 I had a bag of frozen strawberries in the freezer so I decided to put one in each muffin before baking 

 fresh from the oven 

 You can see the whole strawberry which obviously defrosted during the baking process! 

Makes 12 muffins

250g plain flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
120g brown sugar
3 ripe bananas, mashed
250mls milk
80mls sunflower or vegetable oil
2 eggs
120g strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced
80g white chocolate buttons
12 frozen whole strawberries (optional)

• Preheat the oven to 180C.
• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and sugar. 
• In another bowl, beat the eggs lightly and add the mashed bananas, milk and oil.
• Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and fold gently until just mixed.
• Add the chopped strawberries and white chocolate buttons and mix. 
• Divide the mixture into 12 muffin cases.
• Add a frozen strawberry on top if using.
• Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• Allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container. 

Butterscotch and Pecan Bananas on the BBQ

Hope everyone is enjoying the good weather. This is not really a recipe but I thought I'd share it anyway as it's a really quick and easy dessert to prepare if you are thinking of having a BBQ today. I initially wanted to use chocolate chips and mini marshmallows but then I spotted my butterscotch chips and pecan nuts. It only takes minutes to prepare and makes for a tasty dessert! The butterscotch and pecans go well with the bananas. I can't wait to try the chocolate and marshmallow next. Maybe chocolate and peanut butter too!

Make a slit along the banana but be careful that you don't cut all the way to the end. Stuff it with a handful of butterscotch chips and some pecan nuts. Wrap it up tightly in foil making sure the edges are sealed. Place on the BBQ for about 30 minutes or until the banana has blackened. Split it open fully and serve with some vanilla ice cream.

I'm sending this to Tea Time Treats hosted by Jane from The Hedgecombers and Karen from Lavender and Lovage. The theme this month is BBQ Fodder.

 stuff bananawith butterscotchchips and pecan nuts 

 cook it on the BBQ 

 yum! 

 serve with a scoop of ice cream  

Banana, pecan and chocolate waffles

We decided to treat ourselves to waffles over the bank holiday weekend. We usually have plain waffles with maple syrup and fruit and occasionally with bacon. This time I thought I'd bake something a little different as we are trying to eat healthier so it had to be loaded with fruit. I actually ended up forgetting to add the oil (maybe it was my subconscious working overtime) and surprisingly the waffles turned out fine. It's probably because they are baked in the oven so they have a slight cake like texture but it really did not detract from the taste. I was really worried that it would be dry and unpalatable but they were actually really delicious and filling. I'm guessing that it would taste better with the oil but I've not tried it yet. In any case, the bananas and buttermilk probably saved the day. 

The initial plan for the waffles was for banana and pecans but then I decided to add in some chocolate in the form of chocolate beads from Hans Sloane. Hans Sloane sent me some rich dark drinking chocolate beads to try. They are packaged in an attractive red box and the smell of chocolate when you open the bag is heavenly. Dark chocolate is my favourite kind of chocolate and these beads really pack a proper chocolate punch. I tried quite a few on their own and had to stop eating them otherwise I wouldn't have enough to bake with! They worked well in this recipe as it provided a rich, dark chocolate taste to the waffles. The beads did not melt completely so you get lovely chunks of chocolate. I've also tried it with milk as a hot chocolate drink and it's absolutely divine. I often find that powdered hot chocolate have an artificial taste and tends not to taste chocolatey at all. This is the complete opposite as it tastes like proper melted chocolate in warm milk. I loved the stuff so much that I baked another recipe with these chocolate beads which will be on the blog very soon. 

 Hans Sloane drinking chocolate beads which won the Taste Gold Awards in 2011 and was winner of the chocolatier taste test in 2012. 

 dry ingredients on the left and wet ingredients on the right (minus the oil!) 

 adding chopped pecan nuts to the mixture with the chocolate beads on the right 

 Look at the gorgeous chocolate beads - they are really shiny

 This is my silicone waffle tray

 I love how the chocolate gives it a speckled look 

 Topped with lots of fresh fruit and maple syrup which I bought from America 

 You can see the chocolate beads better in this picture 

Makes 8 waffles

375g flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

50g brown sugar

4 eggs 

250g buttermilk 

2 bananas, mashed

50g pecans, chopped

100g Hans Sloane chocolate beads 

80 mls vegetable oil (optional -see notes above) 

• Preheat the oven to 180C. 
• In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and brown sugar and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, mashed bananas, buttermilk and vegetable oil (if using)
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients andmix gently until just mixed.
• Stir in the chopped nuts and chocolate beads.
• Pour the batter into a waffle mould and bake for approximately 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• Serve with fresh fruit and maple syrup or as desired. 
• (The waffles freeze well and tastes great if you toast them in the toaster)

Disclaimer: I was sent some Hans Sloane drinking chocolate beads for review purposes to create a recipe. A positive review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own. This is not a sponsored post. 

Banana, chocolate chip and walnut layer cake

Apologies for the brief absence as I've been away on holiday and am just about catching up with everything. I baked this last month but didn't get a chance to blog about it. I love baking with bananas and I'm always looking for a new recipe. This is one that I found online but adapted it to my use. I was intrigued by the frosting which involved cooking milk and adding flour. It was quite a nice frosting which was not overly sweet. The cake was wonderfully moist and you can clearly taste the banana and the walnuts. The chocolate chips added a delicious chocolate hit and the frosting brought it all together. 

I'm sending this to the No Waste Food Challenge hosted by Elizabeth from Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary. This recipe used up rapidly ripening bananas and some leftover yoghurt. 

 adding walnuts and chocolate chips 

 cooking the frosting 

 decorate with some grated chocolate 

Original recipe can be found here 

For the cake

215g flour

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

113g butter

180g castersugar

120g brown sugar

2 eggs

3 bananas

150mls yoghurt

200g chocolate chips

130g chopped walnuts

For the frosting

250mls milk

5 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

226gbutter

200g caster sugar

• Preheat the oven to 180C.
• Cream the butter and sugars for a few minutes.
• Add the eggs and mix well.
• Add in the mashed bananas.
• Alternate adding the flour+bicarbonate of soda and yoghurt until everything is incorporated.
• Add in the walnuts and chocolate chips.
• Divide the batter into 2 sandwich tins and bake for approximately 25-20 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. 
• To make the frosting, whisk the flour into the milk over a medium heat until the mixture thickens.
• Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
• Cream the butter and sugar and add the vanilla extract.
• Add the cooled milk/flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat on high in an electric mixer until smooth. 

Banana, cashew butter and chocolate chip muffins

Muffins are probably one of our favourite breakfasts to eat on the go. They are so easy to put together and they freeze well so you can jut defrost one overnight for your breakfast in the morning. As usual I had a few over ripe bananas so I decided to make some banana muffins. Recently I was contacted by My Protein who are the largest online sports supplement store in Europe. As you can imagine they sell a lot of high protein products and have a very large selection of them. Initially I wondered how I would incorporate it into baking and I was pleasantly surprised as they sell a lot of nut butters, organic flours, coconut oil, dried fruit, oats and more. I decided to try out kamut flour and cashew butter and knew they would work well in a muffin recipe. 

I've never heard of Kamut flour before so I'll just explain a little in case you haven't either. It's a wheat flour made from the ancient durum wheat relative. It's high in selenium, zinc, magnesium and protein and low in saturated fat. It has a slightly nutty flavour and a very faint smell of nut/protein. The cashew butter was absolutely delicious. It had the lovely aroma of cashew nuts and you can clearly see the nuts in the butter. 

The muffins are made of banana, cashew butter, chocolate chips and kamut flour. I added a sprinkling of raw cashew nuts on top as I had some leftover from another recipe. It adds extra crunch and flavour to the muffins. The muffins were really filling and you can clearly taste the banana and cashew butter. The chocolate chips added a little hint of naughtiness rounded up the flavours nicely. I think some fresh fruit such as blueberries and maybe a little yoghurt will lighten the muffin and make it better. Looks like there's more experimenting to be had in the kitchen! 

I'm sending these to AlphaBakes hosted by Caroline from Caroline Makes and myself on alternate months. The letter ths month is B for banana.

 cashew butter and kamut flour 

 you can clearly see the nuts in the cashew butter 

 dry ingredients + wet ingredients and chocolate chips 

 adding chocolate chips 

 I added a sprinkling of raw cashew nuts on top for extra crunch and flavour 

Makes 12 muffins
250g kamut flour
100g brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 ripe bananas, mashed
250mls milk
200g cashew butter
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 eggs
60g honey
100g dark chocolate chips.

• Preheat the oven to 180C.
• In a medium sized bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar and baking powder and set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix the mashed bananas, milk, vegetable oil, eggs, honey and cashew butter.
• Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until it just comes together.
• Finally stir in the chocolate chips.
• Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. 

Disclaimer: I was sent the my protein products for review purposes. A positive review was not required and all opinions are my own. This is not a sponsored post.