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)

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.