Toasted banana bread with vanilla ricotta & raspberries

Method

• step 1

  Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and line the base of a 900g loaf tin with baking parchment. Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs, one at a time. In a separate bowl, mash the bananas with a fork, add to the bowl with the lemon zest, vanilla and buttermilk, and stir.

• step 2

  Mix together the flour, cinnamon and bicarbonate of soda. Fold into the banana mix, one-third at a time, until just combined and add to the tin. Bake for 1 hr until firm, golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave in the tin for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

• step 3

  While the banana bread is baking, make the vanilla ricotta. Tip the ricotta into a bowl and mix with the vanilla bean paste, orange zest and 90ml orange juice until just combined. Cover and chill.

• step 4

  To make the raspberry compote, heat the orange zest, 5 tbsp orange juice, the sugar and 225g of the raspberries in a saucepan over a gentle heat until the sugar has dissolved. Simmer for 5 mins, then pour through a sieve into a bowl. Stir through the rest of the raspberries, cover and chill.

• step 5

  When you are ready to serve, take the raspberry compote out of the fridge to bring to room temperature. Slice the cooled banana bread into 8 pieces and toast under a medium grill until lightly caramelised. Serve each slice with a spoonful of vanilla ricotta and a drizzle of raspberry compote.