Tag: bananas

Dessert · Do-ahead

Banoffee fridge cake

Belinda

Recipe by Janine Ratcliffe

Everyone knows banoffee pie tastes even better the day after making, when all the flavors have had a chance to meld, so this easy fridge cake takes advantage of that

oil, for the tin
750ml double cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp icing sugar
½ x 397g can Nestlé Carnation Caramel or Nestle “La Lechera” available from supermarkets in the USA
30-32 (about 450g) digestive cookies or Graham crackers
6 small bananas, sliced
50g milk chocolate

Lightly oil a deep 23cm springform tin, then line it with clingfilm (the oil will help the clingfilm stick to the tin).

Whip the cream, vanilla and icing sugar until soft peaks. Scrape the caramel into a bowl and beat with a spoon to loosen it.

Put a layer of cookies in the bottom of the lined tin – you should get about seven in a 23cm tin. Break up another cookie to fill in the cracks.

Dollop over a quarter of the cream and spread out. Top with a layer of banana slices then drizzle over 1 tbsp of caramel sauce.

Repeat with another layer of cookies, another quarter of cream, banana slices and another tbsp of caramel. Repeat again with a third layer.

Add one more layer of cookies but this time only add the rest of the cream, swirling it into a nice pattern. Put in the fridge to chill overnight. Chill the remaining caramel sauce, too.

Unclip the tin and carefully peel away the clingfilm.
Transfer to a flat cake plate. Just before serving, drizzle over more caramel (warm it a little first so it’s drizzle-able) and then sprinkle with chocolate shavings.
Cut into wedges to serve.

Baking · Gluten Free

Maple and rum baked bananas with toasted hazelnuts and pistachios

Belinda

Bananas become soft and caramelized when baked in foil – add rum, maple syrup and toasted nuts into the mix and you’ve got a wonderful dessert that takes only minutes to prepare.

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Serves 4
2 unpeeled bananas
25g (1/2 oz) softened butter
1 tbsp soft light brown sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp white rum
a handful each of shelled hazelnuts and pistachios
a dollop or two of Greek yogurt

Heat the oven to 375F
Put a sheet of non-stick baking paper on top of a sheet of foil.
Slice the unpeeled bananas in half lengthways and put them in the center of the paper/foil.
Spoon the softened butter, sugar, maple syrup and white rum over the bananas, then wrap tightly in the paper/foil. Transfer to a roasting tray, then bake for 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a non-stick frying pan, gently toast the hazelnuts and pistachios until golden, then roughly chop.
Unwrap the baked bananas and serve, still in their skins, with the juices spooned over, sprinkled with the chopped nuts and a dollop or two of greek yogurt.

Baking · Breakfast · Do-ahead

Mrs. Myers’ sweet and moist banana bread

Belinda1 Comment

Author c/o Alexandra Stafford from “Alexandra’s Kitchen”

Overripe bananas freeze beautifully — just peel them and place them in a ziplock bag in the freezer. When you’re ready to use them, place them in a colander in the sink to drain — they’ll give up a lot of liquid and look totally repulsive, but they work beautifully.

To make homemade buttermilk: place 2 teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup. Fill cup with milk until it reaches the 1/2-cup line. Let stand for five minutes.

Loaf Pans: I use a 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pan for this recipe. You need two pans for this recipe.

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Yield 2

2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
3 cups sifted flour (I never sift)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. table salt
5 eggs (I use 4)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup nuts (I never add nuts)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 quart mashed bananas, about 8 (ripe to overripe)

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Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Butter two loaf pans. (I butter generously.)
In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.
With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the vanilla, buttermilk and bananas.
Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Divide batter between the two prepared pans. Bake for approximately 1 hour.
Remove from oven and turn loaves out onto cooling rack immediately.
Let cool.

Asian flavors · Dessert · Gluten Free

Ottolenghi’s sticky bananas with brown sugar and lime

Belinda

Another gem from Yotam Ottolenghi
This punchy dessert has everything – sweetness, acidity, saltiness and umami – which makes the creme fraiche essential for rounding out the flavors and mellowing them a little. The bananas you use should have almost completely yellow skins, with only the faintest bit of brown spotting. If you don’t have a spice grinder, it will be virtually impossible to grind the rice sufficiently, so leave it out or use chopped toasted peanuts instead.

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Serves 4

2 oz unsalted butter
3 oz soft light brown sugar
½ tsp ground star anise
6 oz creme fraiche
1½ tbsp white miso
4 semi-ripe medium bananas, peeled and halved lengthways
1 lime – zest finely grated, to get 1 tsp, then cut into 4 wedges

For the toasted rice topping
1 tbsp uncooked white rice
2 tsp black sesame seeds
½ tsp ground star anise

Set the oven grill to its highest setting. Meanwhile, put the rice in a small frying pan on a medium heat and toast for 12-15 minutes, shaking the pan from time to time, until deeply golden. Transfer to a spice grinder, blitz very finely, then tip into a small bowl. Return the pan to a medium-high heat, add the sesame seeds and toast, shaking the pan regularly, for about a minute, then tip into the rice bowl. Add the ground star anise and mix to combine.

Put the butter, sugar, star anise and a tablespoon of creme fraiche in a large, ovenproof cast-iron pan (or large saute pan) and put on a medium heat. Stir the mixture until the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved, then, off the heat, whisk in the miso until smooth. Add the bananas cut side-up, and use a spoon to coat the tops with some of the caramel. Transfer the pan to the oven and grill for eight minutes (timings will vary depending on your grill), or until the bananas have softened and taken on quite a lot of color.

Sprinkle over the lime zest and a tablespoon of the rice topping, and serve hot straight from the pan, with the lime wedges, remaining creme fraiche and some extra crunchy topping alongside.

Baking · Do-ahead

Brown Butter Caramelized Banana Bread

Belinda

Author: Kayla Howey from “The Original Dish”

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1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
¾ tsp kosher salt
1 stick butter, cut into 8 pieces
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup honey
12 oz mashed brown bananas (about 3 medium bananas)
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup Greek yogurt
1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
½ tsp pure almond extract (optional)
2 tbsp butter
2 ripe bananas, sliced
pinch of kosher salt
2 tbsp honey
softened salted butter, for slathering
more honey, to drizzle

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan and place a piece of parchment paper inside so that it sticks to the sides and hangs over the pan.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a mixing bowl. Set aside.

Add the butter to a saucepan and melt it over medium-low heat. Allow it to continue to cook over low heat as it starts to bubble. After 5-6 minutes, the bubbling will begin to subside as it becomes browned and nutty smelling. The speckles should be a deep amber color, but not black (watch it closely as it will burn quickly). Turn off the heat and allow the butter to cool slightly.

Add the sugar to a large mixing bowl. Pour the brown butter in. Whisk vigorously until really well combined. Whisk in the honey, mashed bananas, eggs, Greek yogurt, vanilla, and almond extract until incorporated.

Fold in the dry ingredients until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Meanwhile, heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the butter and let melt. Add the sliced bananas, spreading them out into an even layer. Let caramelize on one side until golden. Season with a pinch of salt. Flip the bananas over and cook for another minute. Stir in the honey. Let bubble for a minute or so. Turn off the heat.

Spoon half of the caramelized banana mixture over the batter. Reserve the rest for serving.

Bake the banana bread uncovered for 55 minutes until browned. Let cool slightly. Use the parchment paper to pull the bread out of the pan. Slice it into thick slices and serve warm with softened salted butter, a drizzle or so of honey, and the reserved caramelized bananas.

* Use the darkest, softest bananas you can get your hands on for the best tasting banana bread!

Holiday Food · Vegetable sides

Mashed sweet potatoes with banana and rum

Belinda

Don’t be put off by the “baby-food” look of this dish. The flavor is FAR from baby food! It’s from the Silver Palate cook book and is a super addition to the Holiday table.

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8 cups peeled, diced sweet potatoes
3 ripe bananas
6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 tbsp rum
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
salt to taste
1 cup sliced almonds

Place the sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan and add water to cover. Cook covered until very tender. Drain.

Cut the bananas into 1 inch pieces and puree in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the hot potatoes, 4 tbsp of the butter, the rum and the brown sugar.
Process until smooth. Add the grated nutmeg and salt to taste and process just to blend. Keep warm.

Melt the remaining 2 tbsp butter in a small skillet. Add the almonds and sauté until lightly browned. Sprinkle wth a little salt.
Top each serving of the sweet potato with a generous amount of toasted almonds or scatter the whole dish with them.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Dessert · Gluten Free · Vegan

Banana coconut parcels

Belinda

This has got to be one of my favorite desserts and so easy. You can store the banana leaves in your freezer, so you will always have them around.
This recipe is c/o Saveur magazine.

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12 fresh or frozen banana leaves
2 1⁄4 cups coconut cream
3⁄4 cup sugar
Kosher salt, to taste
1 1⁄2 cups short-grain sticky rice, soaked for 6 hours, drained, and rinsed
3 firm-ripe bananas, quartered lengthwise

Cut each banana leaf into a roughly 12″x 14″ rectangle, then cut the scraps into 12 thin ribbons for tying; set aside.
Combine the coconut cream, sugar, 1⁄4 cup water, and salt in a 12″ nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Cook, stirring, until it begins to bubble, about 2 minutes. Add the rice; cook, stirring often, until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 7 minutes.
Remove from heat; let the rice absorb liquid, about 20 minutes. Divide the rice into 12 equal portions.

Working with 1 banana leaf at a time, arrange a leaf with a short edge parallel to you, smooth side up.
Put a portion of rice in the center; top with a banana quarter; press gently.
Shape the rice into a rectangle.
Fold the leaf ends over the rice to make a packet. Tie with a ribbon. Repeat to make 12 packets in all.
Pour water into a wide-bottomed pot to a depth of 1″. Set a colander inside pot.
Working in 2 batches, steam the packets until firm, about 15 minutes.

Asian flavors · Beverage · Breakfast · Chocolate · Fruit · Gluten Free

Spiced Mocha Lassi

Belinda

This is a terrific recipe from Bobby Flay and the only thing you need to do in advance is make the spiced coffee ice cubes. They are well worth having in the freezer as the flavors are incredible when you drop a cube into this drink. A wonderful and different breakfast drink.

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Serves 4

SPICED COFFEE ICE CUBES:

2 cups hot espresso
1/4 cup sugar
1 strip orange peel
8 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2-inch piece fresh ginger, roughly chopped

LASSI:

3/4 cup to 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (or more to thin down the drink)
1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 ripe banana, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder

Make the spiced coffee ice cubes:
Combine the espresso, sugar, orange peel, cloves, cinnamon sticks and ginger in a medium bowl until the sugar dissolves.
Cool to room temperature, and then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours. Strain the coffee mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a large bowl and discard the solids. Divide the mixture among 2 ice cube trays and freeze until solid, at least 2 hours.

Make the lassi:
Add 3/4 cup orange juice, the yogurt, banana and cocoa powder to a blender and puree until smooth (if you’d like the lassi to be a bit thinner, blend in the remaining 1/4 cup orange juice).
Add a few spiced ice cubes to the blender and puree. Pour the lassi into glasses and add 2 more spiced ice cubes to each glass.
Serve immediately.

Baking · Dessert · Do-ahead · Holiday Food

Pumpkin banana mousse tart

Belinda1 Comment

This is delectable and well worth trying, especially for Thanksgiving. Thanks to Ina Garten for this gorgeous and easy recipePumpkin banana mousse tart

For the crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (14 crackers)
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 extra-large egg yolks
1 package (2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin
1 ripe banana, finely mashed
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/2 cup cold heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
For the decoration:
1 cup (1/2 pint) cold heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Orange zest, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter in a bowl and mix well. Pour into an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and press evenly into the sides and then the bottom. Bake for 10 minutes and then cool to room temperature.

For the filling, heat the half-and-half, pumpkin, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water until hot, about 5 minutes. Whisk the egg yolks in another bowl, stir some of the hot pumpkin into the egg yolks to heat them, then pour the egg-pumpkin mixture back into the double boiler and stir well. Heat the mixture over the simmering water for another 4 to 5 minutes, until it begins to thicken, stirring constantly. You don’t want the eggs to scramble. Remove from the heat.

Dissolve the gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water. Add the dissolved gelatin, banana, and orange zest to the pumpkin mixture and mix well. Set aside to cool.

Whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture and pour it into the cooled tart shell. Chill for 2 hours or overnight.

For the decoration, whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks. Pipe or spoon the whipped cream decoratively on the tart and sprinkle, if desired, with orange zest. Serve chilled.

Dessert · Gluten Free

Easy caramelized, coconut bananas

Belinda

Anything to do with coconut, I adore and this is such a simple, exotic dessert to throw together.

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Serves 2

2 tbsp palm sugar or soft light brown sugar
2 bananas, peeled and halved lengthways, then each chunk halved again
5 fl oz coconut milk
coconut ice cream
toasted, shredded coconut, for garnish

Heat the sugar in a small frying pan. When melted, add the bananas and caramelize on each side for 3 to 4 minutes. Lift them out and set aside.
Tip the coconut milk into the pan with a pinch of salt, stir into the sugar and bubble until syrupy.
Divide between two bowls, top with the caramelized bananas, then add a scoop of coconut ice cream and scatter with the toasted coconut