banoffee brulee bites

i can't resist 

this perfect little bite

decadence

in a shot

with a

crackly pop 

of 

burnt sugar crust

fix a few

for the person you love

especially

if 

it is you

Banoffee Brulee Bites

1 recipe chocolate sable

(recipe here)

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate-melted

dulce due leche prepared or 1 can sweetened condensed milk

small tub mascarpone

bananas

sugar

freshly grated nutmeg

edible gold leaf (optional)

if you are making your own dulce de leche, you need to start a day in advance.  pour the sweetened condensed milk into a pie or cake pan at least 8" in diameter.  place in a larger cake tin or oven safe pan that will leave at least a 1" (moat) around the pan.  fill the larger pan with water, half way up the rim of the smaller pan (making a bain marie). cover the smaller pan with foil.  place in a 425F oven for about 1 1/2 hours.  check after about 45-50 minutes to make sure the water does not evaporate completely. add more water if you see it getting low.  after 1 1/2 hours the milk should be caramelized.  remove it from the water and stir until it is smooth. allow to cool before using.  will last in the refrigerator about a week.

bake off the chocolate sable in small tart tins (about 1- 1/2"). a mini muffin tin is a good mold for these. let cool and remove from tin.  using a small paint brush, cover the inside of each shell with a thin layer of melted chocolate. allow to harden.

to assemble:

spread about 1/4 tsp of mascarpone in the bottom of each tart shell, allowing it to come up the sides.  top with a thin layer (about 1/4tsp) of dulce de leche.  top with a thin slice of banana (1/16"), spread just a whisp of dulce de leche on top of the banana, then top with another banana slice, a bit thicker (1/8").  sprinkle a bit of sugar on top, and a light dust of freshly grated nutmeg.  using a torch, caramelize the sugar. for a thicker sugar crust, add a bit more sugar and caramelize with the torch again.  top with a bit of edible gold (optional)

the road to hana is lined with banana bread

dying bananas 

(as i like to call them)

pile up in my freezer

i can't bring myself to throw away

bananas that are just too ripe to eat

so 

i plop them in a freezer bag

where they lay in wait

for me to be inspired

on the island of maui

stretches the road to hana

a beautiful picturesque

and windy road

lined with roadside stands

 each selling

the "island's best"

 banana bread

each recipe unique

handed down for generations

and while 

all different

all were tasty

i know

we tried them 

sitting here in the warmth of sunny southern california

i can only dream

of our days on the island

and on which curve

our banana bread stand would sit

Island's Best Banana Bread
(printable recipe)

1/2 cup butter--room temp

1/2 cup cream cheese--room temp

1 cup light brown sugar--lightly packed

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs--room temp

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp vanilla

3 large over-ripe bananas (about 1 1/2 cups mashed)

1 cup sour cream

2 3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 cups toasted walnuts

cream the butter, cream cheese together, until they are melded together.  add the brown, granulated sugar and salt and beat until fully creamed, and light and fluffy. add the eggs and vanilla and beat until fully incorporated, about 2 minutes...you do not want it to be light and airy, as you are making a bit of a dense, moist bread. toss in the mashed bananas and again mix for about 2 minutes.   mix together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and baking powder together in a bowl.  with the mixer on low, alternately add the flour and sour cream, beginning and ending with flour, in 3 parts.  mix the walnuts in by hand.  pour into 2 loaf pans that have been buttered and floured.  bake in a preheated 350 oven for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

*note: the spices of cinnamon and nutmeg are not clearly noticeable in this recipe, they just give the cake a bit of depth. if you love the taste of either one, you can increase as you see fit.  i like the roundness a bit of spice gives without it overpowering the banana flavor.

oh

that little whipped indulgence you see sitting along-side the bread

that is

just 

equal parts crunchy peanut butter

and

softened cream cheese

topped with a bit of honey

just a little schmear

for those of us who

think Elvis knew what he was doing

Mock Banana Pudding

no

i am not advocating

that we all make fun of 

banana pudding

but i AM

in favor

of

playing around a bit

i love pudding

but summer is coming

and to eat pudding is a good thing

to appear you are filled with pudding

is not

just for clarification

this does not taste like pudding

but it is creamy

and can be as sweet as you like

and has the requisite

nilla wafers

and chunks of bananas

and is really quite good 

for breakfast

or dessert

mock banana pudding
(printable recipe)

 17 oz tub non-fat or 2% FAGE greek style plain yogurt

(you can use any thick plain yogurt you like, but this is really delish)

1/2 vanilla bean

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp honey

2 bananas

20 miniature nilla wafers

split the vanilla bean in half and scrape out the seeds. drop into the yogurt. add the vanilla and honey. stir to combine.  slice or cut the bananas in chunks.  layer with the yogurt and nilla wafers in a parfait glass.

enjoy without guilt

you can thank me later

Banoffee Pie

At the approach of our 30th year a few friends and I decided to take a vacation of a lifetime. We were all single and accomplished and wanted to really treat ourselves.  

We booked an African Safari and spent Christmas in the Serengeti

and yes

i do

miss the rains down in africa

unfortunately, 

this occasion was well before the advent of

digital cameras for home use

and most of my photos are on slides

which makes them impossible to post here

but believe me when I tell you

there are not words to describe

how it feels

to be killing distance 

(you not them)

from a wild beast

watching them

play and frolic

or

stalk their dinner

or 

to enjoy a picnic lunch

beside a herd of elephant

taking an afternoon bath

life affirming moments

that i collect

like shiny marbles

in a jar

but what about banoffee?

on our journey we stayed in tents

luxury tents

tents as nice as some fancy hotels

and were attended to by locals

however

 our camp host

was this lovely

Australian couple

who would make these amazing meals for us

with precious sweet treats

and one evening we were served

Banoffee Pie

and it was crazy good

and now i make it

when i need something that will make everyone happy

and i don't want to fuss

trust me

this will knock you into tuesday

Banoffee Pie
(printable recipe)

graham cracker crust baked and cooled

dulce de leche (i make my own, but you can find it in specialty stores or mexican groceries)

mascarpone or double cream (in the states mascarpone is more readily found)--room temp

lightly sweetened whipped cream

bananas

Thinly slice your bananas---not chunks--and overlap them in the bottom of the graham cracker crust. Next, spread a layer of the mascarpone equal to the thickness of the banana layer...do not lay it on thick, otherwise that is all you will taste.  Top with a thin layer of dulce de leche, again, cover the layer, but don't put globs and globs.  Place another layer of thinly sliced bananas on top of the ddl, and then top with freshly whipped cream.  Sometimes, I make the whole pie without the whipped cream the day before, cover it and keep in the fridge. I then whip the cream, generously top the pie and serve.