Banoffee Mess

Banoffee Mess- what the heck is this? It's a banana-toffee pie! The other day I was looking in my pantry and saw the two cans of sweetened condensed milk that I accidentally bought (I needed evaporated milk) and have been sitting on the shelf for months. I was at a loss for what to do with them since I don't usually make recipes that call for the stuff. Yesterday I was watching foodnetwork and 5 Ingredient Fix came on after my favorite cooking show. I was getting ready to turn off the TV when I heard the host say "banoffee mess". I tuned in and heard "sweetened condensed milk" and was immediately interested in finding out more. Well, who knew you could make toffee from a simple can of milk and boiling water?? Certainly not me. Turns out that this recipe uses only 5 ingredients and by simmering an unopened can of sweetened condensed milk for 3 hours, it magically transforms into a sweet, rich toffee that tastes just like Dulce leche! Yeah, score!

I checked in my pantry and found I had all the ingredients except the carton of whipping cream so I started baking and boiling. Chris picked up the whipping cream on his way home from work and we devoured this pie for dessert. A definite winner, and the best part? The thick, rich, sweet toffee made from my accidental purchase! ;)

Banoffee Mess (serves 6-8)
1 (14 oz) can of sweetened condensed milk
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about a package and half of graham crackers)
1 stick butter, melted
4 bananas, sliced
2 cups heavy whipping cream

In a saucepan, cover an unopened can of sweetened condensed milk with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 hours, adding water as necessary to keep the can submerged in the water.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter in a small bowl. Press the mixture into a 9 inch pie plate. Bake for 12-15 minutes, then cool completely and set aside until ready to assemble the pie.
Remove the condensed milk from heat and let cool enough to be able to remove the can from the water. let cool for at least 15 minutes before opening the now dark and creamy toffee. Thinly slice the bananas and evenly arrange 1 layer of bananas over the graham cracker crust. Pour the toffee over the top and spread evenly. Put another layer of bananas on top of the toffee. Whip the 2 cups of whipping cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form, and spoon it on top of the bananas, spreading out to make an even layer. Add a few bananas on top for decoration. Refrigerate the pie for at least 2 hours before serving and enjoy!

Crazy For Cocoa Puffs!!

Cocoa Puffs! A cereal you go kookoo for? Nope. If you've ever lived on or visited Oahu you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. There's a bakery that's famous for their Cocoa Puffs, and I hear they now make a green tea version and sugar free version of the original dessert as well. Liliha Bakery on 515 North Kuakini Street makes a pastry that's so ono (delicious) my daughter Sophie and I dream about it! In fact, when she had her birthday party she requested a batch of cocoa puffs in lieu of the traditional birthday cake! Made with a classic choux pastry (think eclair and cream puffs), a chocolaty filling and topped off with a chantilly frosting that's so creamy and sweet you'll be dreaming about it too! If you're like me and can't make a drive to the bakery but have a cocoa puff craving, I've got the remedy. Try it and see why this posting is littered with exclamations!

Cocoa Puffs (makes approximately 22-26)
cocoa puff shell:
1/2 c. butter
1 c. water
1 c. flour
4 eggs
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. combine water and butter and bring to a boil and remove from heat. Add flour and mix vigorously until dough ball is formed. Let dough rest for at least 10 minutes to allow it to cool down. After resting, mix in eggs, one a t a time until all eggs are well Incorporated.
Let rest in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Make tablespoon sized ball and bake on a parchment paper lined sheet pan for 35-40 minutes or until lightly golden brown and puffed. Let cool on rack before filling.
Filling:2 small boxes instant chocolate pudding
2 c. cold milk
mix the boxes of pudding with cold milk. Filling will be thick. Store in refrigerator.
Chantilly Frosting:
12 oz. can unsweetened evaporated milk
1 1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. melted butter
4 large egg yolks
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
Combine all ingredients in a med. saucepan. While stirring constantly, slowly rise heat on stove over the course of half and hour. Be sure not to heat mixture too fast or stir to slow because you could end up with scrambled eggs. Cook until thick and will coat spoon. Let cool in refrigerator till ready to use.

Cut open puffs and spoon chocolate filling inside or use pastry bag to fill shells. Frost tops like a cupcake with chantilly. Store in airtight container in refrigerator until ready to serve.

*Mahalo to Da Birds and Da Freedland's for the recipe!!*

Bananas Foster Crepes

I guess it's safe to assume that I'm bucking tradition. Yep, I don't want to succumb to convention. You know, when the new calender is put up on January 1st everyone resolves to hit the gym and cut back on all the rich, decadent and delicious food we've been over indulging in since Thanksgiving.
If you're resolving to cut back on the calories, sugar and carbs- great job! I applaud your efforts and wish you luck. Leave this post immediately before temptation sets in and derails you from your goals.
However, if you're in the mood for something absolutely, positively and deliciously sweet and comforting- you're in the right place.
Bananas Foster Crepes... WOW! The perfect breakfast or brunch item on a lazy Sunday morning. Try it and I think you'll agree that bucking tradition is sometimes very rewarding. 2011 is off to a delicious start ;)

Bananas Foster Crepes (serves 4)
for crepes:
1 3/4 c. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups whole milk, room temperature (remember, we're being decadent here!)
3 large eggs, room temperature
5 tbsp. melted butter, plus more for skillet

Sift flour and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together milk and eggs in a medium bowl. Pour milk mixture into flour mixture, whising to combine. Whisk in butter. Batter should be the xoncistency of heavy cream. Add more milk if necessary. Let rest while you start on the bananas foster.

for bananas foster:
3 tbsp. butter
1/2 c. dark brown sugar
3 ripe bananas, cut into 1/4 inch rounds
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
pinch of salt and pinch of grated nutmeg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 c. dark rum
1/2 c. creme fraiche or vanilla ice cream

warm butter and sugar in a saute pan over med. heat until butter melts, about 1-2 minutes. Add bananas, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and vanilla. Cook, stirring for 1-2 minutes. Add rum and ignite the vapors. Cook until flames stop and the alcohol is burnt off. Turn off stove and remove from heat while you make the crepes.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and brush with butter. Ladle or pour about 3 tbsp. batter (for small crepes) or 1/3 c. batter (for large crepes) into pan, turning and tilting skillet to coat bottom evenly and thinly with batter. Cook until top of crepe appears set, bottom is firm and golden brown in spots and center is lifted by pockets of air, about 1 minute. Run a spatula around the edge of crepe to loosen. Slip spatula under crepe and gently flip in one swift gesture. Cook until bottom is firm and golden brown on spots, about 45 seconds. Transfer to a plate and cover. Repeat with remaining batter, brushing pan lightly with butter as needed.

Fold each crepe in half, then fold in half again. Drizzle crepes with bananas foster sauce, and top with cremem fraiche or ice cream. Serve immediately

Strawberry Clafouti

First of all I want to apologize for the lack of recipe posts this past month- our computer had to be sent to the repair shop, then we left for a vacation to Hawaii, and now our digital camera got rolled over by the Jeep and we're awaiting a replacement. So, sorry, but there's no appetizing photo to accompany this amazingly simple and in season treat. I won't however, be apologizing for the way you'll fall head over heels in love with this Strawberry Clafouti.
What is a Clafouti, you might ask? It's basically a classic French dessert that involves fruit (usually plums or cherries, but in this case, strawberries) spread out in a buttered pan and topped with a thin pancake-flan type batter and baked. It's uncomplicated, comforting and delicious. I had some lovely lavender sugar that I had bought on a trip to the Hood River and it added just a hint of delicate lavender taste, but the recipe would taste just as good with granulated sugar. I hope you'll enjoy some of the Spring Season's first strawberries in this dessert.

Strawberry Clafouti (serves 4-6)
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved lengthwise
2 tsp. cornstarch
3 large eggs
1 c. milk
2/3 c. flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a shallow 2 qt baking dish or gratin dish. In a bowl, gently toss strawberry halves with cornstarch until evenly coated, then arrange berries with cut sides down in bottom of dish and set aside.
In a blender, whirl eggs, milk, flour, granulated sugar, vanilla and salt until smooth, about 15-20 seconds. Pour batter over strawberries.
Bake until puffed, golden brown and set in the center, about 45-50 minutes. Let cool slightly and dust with powdered sugar. Serve slightly warm

Strawberry Shortcakes with Balsamic Vinegar and Sugar

This is my second post for the day but I just had to share this recipe. I was in a 'Welcome Spring' mood, trying to coax the season into coming just a little sooner by making a few recipes with fresh seasonal produce. I saw the bright red strawberries at the grocery store and their price couldn't be beat. I immediately thought- strawberry shortcakes! I went over to get a box of Bisquick baking mix (please don't judge- Bisquick has a wonderful recipe on the back of their box for delicious shortcakes and I love it for making fluffy pancakes). I knew my girls would LOVE this surprise for dessert, so in the cart went the box and strawberries.
As you can guess, I don't follow the recipe on the Bisquick box completely. Did you know that adding balsamic vinegar and sugar to a bowl of strawberries enhances the berry-ness, adds a note of complexity and makes a delicious syrup? Effortless and delicious. Instead of adding whipped topping to my shortcakes, I simply pour half and half over the entire thing. The half and half soaks into the shortcakes and is pure heaven. I hope you'll try this recipe and enjoy it as much as we do.

Strawberry Shortcakes (makes 6)
1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
1/4 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 1/3 c. Bisquick baking mix
1/2 cup milk
3 Tbsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. melted butter
half and half

Mix strawberries, 1/4 cup sugar and balsamic vinegar together in a bowl. Let sit on the side.
Meanwhile, heat oven to 425 degrees. Stir Bisquick mix, milk, 3 Tbsp sugar and butter until soft dough forms. Divide dough into 6 portions and drop onto baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Split warm shortcakes, fill and top with strawberries and pour half and half over the top. Enjoy!

Ruby Port Sparklers

Who doesn't enjoy cocktail time every now and then? A nice glass of wine is perfect with dinner most nights, but for those times when I'm having a night in with girlfriends or want something special before or after a meal, cocktails are perfect. They're festive, generate lots of excitement and range in taste from a citrus-y zing to smooth and mellow.
I recently came across this recipe in Sunset Magazine. It was featured in an article titled A Bite Size Chocolate Party. Now I don't know about you, but I am a chocoholic. I absolutely adore dark and semi-sweet chocolate. I also enjoy a nice glass of port wine after dinner and this recipe combined both flavors. Perfect! I had a bottle of port and also the bottle of Godiva chocolate liqueur on hand, so all I needed to get was the sparkling wine.
This drink is sublime. I've made it for a recent book club gathering last weekend and I'm having a glass tonight. Try this recipe and I think you'll agree, sometimes it's nice to drink your dessert ;)

Ruby Port Sparklers (serves 1)
For each cocktail, pour 2 Tbsp. each Godiva Chocolate liqueur and ruby port into a champagne flute. Top with sparkling wine. Garnish with a lemon or blood orange zest strip. Cheers!

Panna Cotta

In my ultimate dessert land, way up there, somewhere right next to Fresh Fruit Tart is a space reserved just for Panna Cotta. I love everything about Panna Cotta- the silky smooth texture, the creamy taste, the coolness as it touches your mouth, the way it looks so inviting on the plate contrasted with the berries it's usually paired with. Panna Cotta is an Italian jello of sorts. It's made by simmering together cream, milk and sugar, mixing that with gelatin, and letting it cool until set. If you've never tasted Panna Cotta, ordered it from a menu, or made it yourself, I suggest you try the following recipe and see for yourself how delicious this dessert is and how simple it is to make.

Panna Cotta (makes 4-5 1/2 c. ramekins)
1 envelope unflavored gelatin (about 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons cold water
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup half and half
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a very small saucepan sprinkle gelatin over water and let stand about 1 minute to soften. Heat gelatin mixture over low heat until gelatin is dissolved and remove pan from heat.
In a large saucepan bring cream, half and half, and sugar just to a boil over moderately high heat, stirring. Remove pan from heat and stir in gelatin mixture and vanilla. Divide cream mixture among eight 1/2-cup ramekins and cool to room temperature. Chill ramekins, covered, at least 4 hours or overnight.
Dip ramekins, 1 at a time, into a bowl of hot water 3 seconds. Run a thin knife around edge of each ramekin and invert ramekin onto center of a small plate.

(serving suggestion: in a small bowl, combine berries (or fruits) of your choice 1/8 cup of granulated sugar. Stir and let sit for at least 30 minutes. When serving panna cotta, spoon some of the berries over and around it.)

Fresh Fruit Tart with Pastry Creme

Since it's Sunday I wanted to make something special for tonite. Fruit tarts are one of my all time favorite desserts- first of all, they're absolutely beautiful to look at with all the colorful glistening fruits artfully arranged on the top of a creamy middle and buttery crust. I have to admit that I'm a bit of a fruit tart snob though. I won't settle for just any run of the mill fruit tart. It has to be filled with pastry creme, non of this fluffy whipped cream in the middle for me. You may be thinking, what is pastry creme then? Well, it's the same custard-y smooth rich filling that's in eclairs. Yum yum yummy yum....
After heading to the store for ingredients, I immediately set to work on the pastry creme. It's not very difficult to make, but it does require a few hours in the refrigerator to set after cooking. The girls helped me to stir and simmer the custard and were more than willing to lick the spoons :)
After the pastry creme was sufficiently chilled, Sophie helped me to spoon the filling over the crust. I arranged the fruits on the top and after eating dinner, it was finally time for dessert.

Noelle just couldn't wait to eat her slice. The fresh fruit tart with pastry creme was delicious, but the sweetest treat of all turned out to be the girls help in the kitchen and their giddy excitement about the dessert we made together.

Fresh Fruit Tart with Pastry Creme (makes 1 11 inch tart)
2 cups half and half
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks, chalazae removed (see note at bottom)
3 T. cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
4 T. unsalted butter cut into small cubes
pie shell
fresh fruit (berries, orange segments, kiwis etc...)
1/2 cup apple or red currant jelly

Heat half and half, 6 T. sugar and salt in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat until simmering, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks in bowl until thoroughly combined. Whisk in remaining 2 T. sugar and whisk until sugar has begun to dissolve and mixture is creamy. Whisk in cornstarch until combined and mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 30 seconds.
When half and half mixture reaches a full simmer, gradually whisk about half of the simmering half and half into yolk mixture to temper. Return mixture to saucepan, scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Return to simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly until mixture is thickened and glossy. Off heat, whisk in butter and vanilla. Transfer creme to medium bowl, press plastic wrap directly on surface, and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 3 hours or up to 48 hours.
Thaw pie crust and press into tart pan with removable bottom and bake according to directions on package. Remove from oven and set aside to completely cool.
When tart shell is completely cool, spread cold pastry creme over bottom. Arrange fruit on top of pastry creme. Bring jelly to a boil. When completely melted, brush or dab onto fruit. Serve immediately or refrigerate uncovered for up to 30 minutes.

*note: chalazae are the cordlike strands of egg white protein that are attached to the yolks. Remove them gently with your fingers.