Banana Baskets Recipes

BANANA BASKETS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Flatten bread slices with rolling pin to 1/4-inch thickness; cut each diagonally in half, then diagonally in half again to make 4 triangles. Brush with butter. Line each of 16 muffin pan cups with 4 bread triangles, allowing bread points to extend over top of each cup and firmly pressing bread triangles onto bottom and up side of cup.
• Bake 20 min. or until golden brown. Meanwhile, mix sour cream, dulce de leche and sugar in medium saucepan. Dissolve cornstarch in milk; stir into sour cream mixture. Cook on medium-high heat 12 to 15 min. or until thickened, stirring constantly. Cool completely.
• Stir vanilla into sour cream mixture. Chop banana; place in toast cups. Top with sour cream mixture, nuts, berries and mint.

BANANA BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
• In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar until smooth. Stir in the milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Mix in 1 banana, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and walnuts. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let bars cool in the pan on a wire rack.
• To make the frosting: In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, confectioners' sugar, 1/2 banana, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice using an electric mixer. Beat until smooth. Spread over cooled bars and then cut into squares.

BANANA SQUARES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form; set aside. In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Beat in egg yolks; mix well. Add bananas. Combine flour and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla. Fold in egg whites. Fold in nuts if desired., Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. , If desired, garnish with whipped cream and a few banana slices.

BANANA TRAYBAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Line a 25 x 20cm traybake tin with baking parchment and heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Tip the sugar, bananas, oil and eggs into a large bowl and whisk them together. If your bananas are very ripe then you can use a balloon whisk for this, or use a fork to mash. Add the flours, cinnamon and baking powder and whisk the mixture until everything is just combined - don't take too long over this bit as the baking powder will have started to activate. Stir in the chocolate chips, if using, and scoop the mixture into your tin. Bake for 30-40 mins or until the sponge is firm and springy to the touch and lightly browned on top. Cool in the tin.
• To make the frosting, beat the butter until it is really soft then beat in the icing sugar. Use a spatula to fold in the soft cheese, making sure it is all thoroughly mixed in. Don't be tempted to beat the mixture, this will make it runnier.
• Lift the cake carefully out of the tin, peel off the paper and transfer it to a plate or board. Spread over the frosting, making it as neat or messy as you like. Lightly dust the top with cinnamon - use a tea strainer to help with this if you have one. Cut into pieces to serve. Will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container.