Rib stickers!

Strictly speaking the phrase is “stick to the ribs” and it has heaps of different meanings. I think it must be a phrase associated with the North – I've got some funny looks elsewhere. In this instance where associated with food, its meaning is “hearty and satisfying”.

Here's the first to qualify for the rib stickers club :

Go Bananas

Banana cake or pudding

250g self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

150g unsalted butter

250g caster sugar

3 bananas – pureed

1 tbsp milk

You can make it as a tray bake – you can make it in sandwich tins and turn it into a cake (2x20 cm approx) or even make it posh by using dariole moulds which become Banana Timbales.

Butter your sandwich tins. Sift the dry ingredients together. Cream the butter and sugar – add the eggs gradually. Stir in the dry ingredients alternatively with the bananas and milk. Bake for 30 minutes at 180c/160fan/Gas4. If you are making a cake then sandwich with cream and dust with sifted icing sugar.

If you opt for the Banana Timbales, then you'll use approximately 9 dariole moulds. Bake for 25 minutes. When cooled turn out from the moulds and freeze if you wish – good luck – there won't be any left to freeze!

The tray bake is the standard size – 20 x 30cms approx - bake as for the sandwich cake. You'll get 12 generous portions.

I've frozen the timbales and the tray bake with great success. The timbales in particular are brilliant when entertaining or “in case of emergency” guests. You can take them straight from the freezer and microwave to serve in 1 minute.

This recipe and the next I collected from my Cordon Bleu Certificate training and I've used them many times – I hope you will too – definitely rib sticker stuff!