WAYS WITH BANANAS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 168, 12 April 1935, Page 5

WAYS WITH BANANAS

Sweets For an Emergency Bananas can be used to make all kinds of puddings and sweets. They are especially useful in emergencies. Banana souffle, for instance, is a quickly made and delicious sweet. Mash four large or five or six small bananasntnd put them through a sieve. Add two ounces of castor sugar, the juice of a lemon, its grated rind, and a few drops of vanilla essence. Mix thoroughly with the beaten yolks of three eggs, then lightly fold in the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth. Put the mixture into a greased souffle tin, and bake in a hot oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or steam for 30 to 35 minutes. Another quickly made light pudding is as follows: —Mash six bananas and mix with two ounces of castor sugar. Then blend smoothly a level tablespoonful of cornflour with half a breakfastcupful of milk, add a few drops of almond essence, and mix with the banana pulp. Grease a piedish and cover the bottom with crushed wine biscuits or stale spongecake crumbs, put on top a layer of banana, then more, crumbs and a sprinkling of chopped walnuts. Fill up the dish like this and put a layer of crumbs on the top. Bake in the oven for three-quarters of an hour. Banana and raisin pudding is made by mixing together the pulp of six bananas with four ounces of fine breadcrumbs, two ounces of castor sugar and the juice and grated rind of a lemon. Add two or three ounces of seedless raisins and two beaten eggs. Put into a greased basin and steam for two hours. Bananas are excellent when stewed. They should be peeled and cut in halves lengthways, then simmered gently with water, sugar and lemon-juice. ■ When cooled a little, add sherry or maraschino to flavour. They are, perhaps, better still If cooked in a thick syrup, made by boiling first half a pound of sugar with half a pint of water. Then drop in the bananas, and add the flavourings when cooked. One or two cold sweets are made as follows: For banana trifle line a’ glass dish with slices of spongecake spread with jam. Sprinkle over them a glass of sherry. Mash, four or five bananas with a little castor sugar and a few drops of vanilla essence, and pile on top of the cake. Coyer with custard and decorate with whipped cream and slices of banana covered with chopped nuts. For banana fool rub four bananas through a sieve, and add

lemon juice and sugar to taste. Whip in lightly a breakfastcupful of cream or custard, and serve in custard cups. Another simple but interesting sweet is made by slicing four or five bananas. Place them in a fireproof glass dish, squeeze the juice of a small lemon over them, and dot with small pieces of butter. Cook in a moderate oven until tender, then sprinkle a little rum or sherry over it and dust with nutmeg. Leave to cool.