Little and Small love bananas and custard (read that cold custard). I was never overly fond of it as a child and because of this rarely think to give it to them unless they ask for it. When I was thinking about British Food and my mind was wandering, as it does, it suddenly dawned on me - how about Banana Roly Poly & Custard. Lots of people will be familiar with the name Jam Roly Poly, but they might not have tried it, it's a suet sponge rolled up with jam in the middle, then baked. I googled Banana Roly Poly and it threw up nothing that I could see, we played around and this is what we came up with.
Banana Roly Polyfor the filling
4 bananas (peeled and mashed)
for the roly poly
8oz / 250g self raising flour
4 oz / 125g suet (we use Atora vegetable suet)
50g granulated sugar
pinch of salt
6-8 tablespoons of water
To brush over the top prior to cooking - a little milk and beaten egg and a handful of sugar.
Preheat the oven to 200C, 400F, gas mark 6
For the roly poly pudding part
In a bowl sift the flour and add suet, salt and sugar. Mix well and gradually add the water, mixing until it forms a stiff dough. You may not need all of the water. On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a rectangle/oblong shape.
Smear the banana mash over the top and then roll the dough. Tuck the ends in underneath, so that the filling doesn't come pouring out during cooking. Place on a baking tray, seam side down, brush with milk and beaten egg (beaten egg optional), sprinkle with sugar and cook for approximately 40 minutes.
Edit: If you've made the dough a little too soft, a good tip is to wrap it tightly in baking paper after you've rolled it. Cook it in the paper for the first 30 minutes and then undo the paper for the last 10 minutes.
Banana & Toffee Roly Poly
for the filling
I jar of dulce de leche
2 bananas (peeled and finely sliced)
Follow the roly poly pudding part above, then smear a jar of dulce de leche over the dough, place the sliced bananas over the top and then roll the dough. Tuck the ends in underneath, so that the filling doesn't come pouring out during cooking. Place on a baking tray, seam side down, brush with milk and beaten egg (beaten egg optional), sprinkle with sugar and cook for approximately 40 minutes.
Serve hot with custard. We love hot pudding with cold custard! Of course I could have made a fresh custard from scratch but for me a tin of Ambrosia Custard does it every time... Yum, yum, yummety yum! Will post pics tomorrow, I have to bake some cakes for a nursery school afternoon tea tomorrow.
Edit: Pics now loaded as you can see. I ended up baking the cakes today after we got back from staying with old friends in Muswell Hill, North London last night. We had a (very long overdue) great evening. The rugby result wasn't so good but the less said about that the better. As all of the children woke so early this morning we went for a stomp in Highgate Park, with a little stop at the cafe for coffee and pastries! All this stodge - I may need to start cutting back a little. Off to eat Cottage Pie, cooked by my lovely husband.
