Banana Bundt Cake with Toffee Sauce

I'm not kidding when I said I'm going to put this recipe on the blog but boy, did it take a long time for me to do it!

This cake was a hit in my family that I made it twice in a month.  I do love it as well, I thought the cake was very tender, not too sweet, and it allows you add a variety of ingredients to it; for example, dried fruits, chocolate chips, or nuts.  I keep the add-ons less than a cup because I fear that if it's too much, the batter will get too heavy and dense.

The original recipe didn't have anything on it but I added dried currants because they're my number one choice for dried fruits.  These were soaked in a bit of rum for a few hours.   Plus since I had that leftover toffee sauce from making sticky toffee pudding tart, I decided to use it up on this cake.  Everything worked well together and flavor profile was sublime.

I hope you'll enjoy it as well as my family did!

Banana Bundt Cake with Toffee Sauce

Makes one 10- or 12-inch Bundt cake


3/4 cup dried currants
1/4 cup rum or apple juice
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
4 very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups)
1 cup sour cream

About 1-1 1/4 cup Toffee Sauce


Place a rack in the center of the oven; preheat oven to 350F degrees.  Generously butter and flour or coat with baker's spray a 10- or 12-inch Bundt cake pan.

Combine dried currants with rum or apple juice and let macerate for a few hours.  Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

Use a paddle attachment on a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy and pale in color.  Beat in vanilla, then add eggs, one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each.  Turn the speed to low, add bananas.  Slowly add dry ingredients and then all of the sour cream.  Fold the macerated currants with juice with a spatula until just combined.  Pour batter into prepared pan.  Smooth the top and bang the pan gently against the counter a few times.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.  If the top starts to brown quickly, cover it lightly with a piece of foil.  Transfer the cake onto a rack and let cool for 10 minutes.  Unmold the cake to a rack and let it cool to room temperature.  If desired, the cake can be covered with plastic wrap and left overnight to develop more flavor.

When the cake is cool, drizzle the toffee sauce over the cake, letting it drips down the sides.


Source:  adapted from Baking with Dorie, Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications, 2017

Peanut Butter Banana Coconut Cookie Bites

Even though I'm not allergic to anything or following a particular diet, I sometime like to make healthy food options for my family.  Especially since I'm not getting younger anymore, it's best to keep me healthy by not overindulging in rich foods, right?  

When the healthy food has great taste, the right texture, and easy to make, I'd say yes to making it part of my baking/cooking repertoire.  Just like these cookie bites, these are made from wholesome and natural ingredients; and what's more they're taste awesome.  

When my husband or son comes home from work or school, they like to have something to nibble to tide the hunger until dinner time.  I think these bites are the perfect answer for that call.

I've tasted a variation of this cookies and decided to make it based on the ingredients I have on hand.  The original recipe is called Toasted Coconut Quinoa Breakfast Cookies by Simply Quinoa.  Her blog has a variety of recipes using quinoa that taste and look great.  Thanks for the recipe!

So instead of quinoa flakes, I made these with part flax meal and part oat bran.  The cookies have a darker color but taste-wise, they're equally as yummy.  I also swapped cashew butter for natural, crunchy peanut butter; my family just love peanut butter more.  As for size, they're bite-size products that is great for portion control snacking.  

It's time for you to make these and decide if they're a keeper!

Peanut Butter Banana Coconut Cookie Bites

Makes about 24 small cookies

1/2 cup natural, chunky peanut butter

1/4 cup honey

1 medium ripe banana, mashed

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup oats

1/4 cup flax meal

1/4 cup oat bran

1 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup coconut flakes, toasted, let cool

2 tablespoons chia seeds

Preheat oven to 350F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine mashed banana with peanut butter, honey, egg, and vanilla extract.  Mix it until comes together.  Add oats, flax meal, oat bran, baking powder, and salt; stir.  Fold in toasted coconut and chia seeds.

Using a small scooper (about a tablespoon), drop a scoopful of the mixture into baking sheet until all the mixture is gone.

Bake cookies on center rack for 15-18 minutes or until edges are golden brown.  Remove and let cool on the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

Store in an airtight container.

Source:  adapted from Simply Quinoa's Toasted Coconut Quinoa Breakfast Cookies

Chocolate Banana Cake with Glazed Walnuts

When my son decided to join track team in his school, I secretly rejoiced.  He's not one to like a team sports and asking him to go to the gym with me and my husband is like pulling teeth.  The only sport that he tolerates is swimming and he's pretty good at it, but because of church commitment, he seldom could participate in swim meet.  This track and field activity is through his school which means it won't interfere with church but his time after school is filled with practice.  That means I have to pick him up from school late and that makes my days long as well.  Sigh.  And the track meet is incredibly long...

Then why did I rejoice?  Because for one thing, this gets him into exercising.  He's now into running, albeit in beginner's level, and he wants to track all his running into his Runkeeper app.  With that newfound interest, I'm able to join him in the running process and I like it.  Now I have a partner to run on the weekends!

But, then there's a problem with those time on the weekends.  The time I usually am home, baking or cooking, is now divided.  I have less time to be in the kitchen and even lesser time to play around with food for my blog.  Consequently this blog will see fewer posts until track and field is done.  Oh well, such is life...  But, I have this cake recipe that I've been keeping on my computer for a while and I think it's time to write it down here before it gets way too old.  My family enjoyed this cake because there's banana and there's chocolate.  This cake didn't use eggs and has a potential to become a vegan cake if the milk used is substituted with vegan milk.  I didn't try it so I won't know how the flavor would turn out but this cake was plenty moist and scrumptious.  Do give it a try!

Chocolate Banana Cake with Glazed Walnuts

Yields one 8-inch cake


Banana Cake:
1/4 cup milk
6 Tablespoons melted coconut oil
6 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups mashed ripe bananas--approximately 5 medium bananas
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup walnuts, chopped, toasted--optional

Chocolate Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup pure maple syrup
1 1/4 cup milk
6 Tablespoons melted coconut oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Maple Glazed Walnuts:
1 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Dark Chocolate Glaze:
1 cup milk
1/2 pound high-quality extra dark chocolate--I used Lindt 70% bittersweet chocolate
1 vanilla bean, scraped
1 pinch salt


Preheat oven to 350F.

To make banana cake:  Lightly oil and dust a 8" round springform cake pan with flour, shaking out excess.

Put the milk, oil, maple syrup, vanilla and bananas in a blender and blend until smooth.  In a large bowl combine dry ingredients.  Add banana mixture and combine using as few strokes as possible.  Fold in walnuts.

Pour batter into cake pan and smooth the top.  Make the chocolate cake.

To make chocolate cake:  Lightly oil and dust a 8" round spring form cake pan with flour, shaking out excess.  In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Whisk to combine.

In a separate bowl combine the maple syrup, milk, melted coconut oil, vanilla and vinegar.  Whisk to combine.  Pour the wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk to remove any lumps.

Pour batter into cake pan and smooth the top.  Place in the oven with the banana cake, on the same rack if possible so they bake evenly,  and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes.  Let cakes cool on the cooling rack for 10 minutes, then release the springform ring from the cakes.  Let cakes cool completely.

To make maple glazed walnuts:  In a dry skillet over medium heat, lightly toast walnuts until fragrant.  Add maple syrup to the pan and toss quickly to coat.  Remove from pan to let cool.

To make dark chocolate glaze:  Slice vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape out the seeds and place them in a small saucepan.  Add cold milk to the saucepan and warm slowly over medium heat.  When hot, remove from heat and add chocolate.  Stir until fully melted, whisk in a pinch of salt.  Keep warm.

To assemble cake:  Slice each cake in half horizontally.  Slice the very tops off the cakes to make them straight.

Start with one half of the chocolate cake on the bottom, spoon on about 1/4 of the glaze, with the majority being around the edge so that it oozes out when you place the next layer.  Place a banana cake layer on top of the chocolate layer and spoon on glaze, repeat until the top layer.  Pour the remaining glaze on top of the cake and top with maple glazed walnuts.  Serve.


Source:  adapted from My New Roots Apps by Sarah B.

Black-Bottom Banana Cream Pie

How do you eat your banana?  Fresh without embellishment or layered in between chocolate custard and vanilla custard?  If your answer is the second one, this pie is for you.  This is the kind of pie that has all my favorite ingredients, chocolate and custard.  It's also super easy and unfussy.  I really like the method where I only have to make one custard which will then divided into a chocolate and a vanilla one.  And the crust is the old-fashioned graham cracker crumbs which I think is excellent bearer of this seemingly humble pie.  It's certainly not humble in the taste department but grand in my opinion!

So go on, try it, you might like it!

Black-Bottom Banana Cream Pie

Serves 8

For the crumbs:
1 1/2 cups fine graham cracker crumbs (about 7 ounces)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
4 large egg yolks
2 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3 medium bananas, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Chocolate shavings, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350F.  In a food processor, combine the graham cracker crumbs with the sugar, cinnamon, salt and melted butter and pulse until the crumbs are moistened.  Press the crumbs evenly into a 9- to 10-inch, deep-dish glass or ceramic pie plate.  Bake for about 8 minutes, until the crush is lightly browned and set. Let cool completely.

In a large saucepan (preferably with a rounded bottom), combine the granulated sugar with the cornstarch, egg yolks and 1/2 cup of the milk and whisk until smooth.  Whisk in the remaining 2 cups of milk and cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until the custard is very thick, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla extract until the butter is melted.  Pour half of the vanilla custard into a medium bowl.

Whisk the chopped chocolate into the custard in the saucepan until it is melted.  Spread the chocolate custard evenly in the pie crust and top with the sliced bananas.  Carefully spread the vanilla custard over the bananas.  Refrigerate the banana cream pie until it is well chilled, at least 6 hours and preferably overnight.

In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the heavy cream with the confectioners' sugar until it is softly whipped.  Mound the whipped cream on top of the pie.  Garnish the banana cream pie with chocolate shavings and serve.


Source:  adapted from Food and Wine, authored by Valeri Lucks

PB&J Banana Bread

Look at that beauty, how enticing is it?  Banana bread is one of the easiest homemade treats one can make, anytime.  

I've these few ripe, soft bananas on my fruit bowl.  I asked my husband what kind of banana bread he would like to have and his answer was "with peanut butter."  I remembered seeing this recipe in my magazine collection so here it is.  The strawberry jam is homemade as well, in fact, very soon I have to make a batch of it again.  June is coming and strawberry season will be here.

Make sure that you watch the streusel topping while it's being baked.  I covered it loosely with foil about 20 minutes before baking time ends, just to make sure the peanuts aren't over baked and bitter.

I like to chase its morsels with a cup of cold chocolate milk and if you like peanut butter and jam with your banana bread, this is a recipe for you!

PB&J Banana Bread

Makes 16 servings

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

⅛ teaspoon ground ginger

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 ½ cups mashed bananas (4 to 5 medium)

1 cup sugar

½ cup vegetable oil or melted butter

¼ cup creamy peanut butter

¼ cup chopped peanuts

⅓ cup strawberry preserves

1 recipe Streusel-Nut Topping, recipe follows

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease the bottom and ½ inch up the sides of a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In a large bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and ginger.  Make a well in the center of flour mixture; set aside.

In a medium bowl combine eggs, mashed bananas, sugar, oil, and peanut butter.  Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture.  Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy).  Fold in peanuts.  Spoon batter into the prepared loaf pan, spreading evenly.  Drizzle with ¼ cup of the strawberry preserves; swirl slightly to marble.  If desired, sprinkle with Streusel-Nut Topping.

Bake about 60-70 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  If necessary to prevent overbrowning, cover loosely with foil for the last 20 minutes of baking.  Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Remove from pan.  Cool completely on wire rack.  Wrap and store overnight.

In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave the remaining strawberry preserves on 100 percent power (high) for 15 to 20 seconds or until melted, snipping any large pieces of fruit.  Drizzle melted preserves over the top of bread before slicing.

Streusel-Nut Topping:  In a small bowl stir together 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour.  Using a pastry blender, cut in 4 teaspoons butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir in ¼ cup chopped peanuts.

Source:  adapted from Better Homes and Garden Fall Baking 2013

Nutella-Banana Pudding Parfait

I don't think any lengthy story about pudding, it's relatively simple to make and it goes with any season.  It's a comfort food in our house and we love creamy pudding of any flavor but I think Nutella-flavored pudding ranks high in taste and popularity.  I paired it with banana pudding, which has all-natural flavor and none of the yellow coloring.  These two puddings go well with crumbled graham crackers for added crunch.  Alternately layer the puddings in a serving dish, voila, you have a parfait.

Banana Pudding

Makes 4 cups

2 small ripe bananas, about 12 ounces

⅓ cup sugar

2 ½ cups whole milk

3 tablespoons cornstarch

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup cream

2 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a 3-quart saucepan, thoroughly mash together the bananas and sugar.  Pour in the milk.  Warm over medium heat almost to boiling (the surface of the milk should quiver and vibrate).  Turn off the heat.

Puree the banana-milk mixture in a food processor or blender.  Pour it back into the pan and warm it for 3 to 5 minutes over medium heat, until bubbles for around the edges and the center of the milk is vibrating.  Turn off the heat.

Put the cornstarch and salt in a medium bowl.  Slowly whisk in the cream, making sure there are no lumps. Whisk in the egg yolks.  It is important that this mixture be as smooth as you can make it.  (To be really sure, reach into the bowl and gently rub out any lumps.)

Pour a ladleful of the hot milk into the bowl with the slurry.  Whisk vigorously to combine.  The mixture should come together smoothly, with no lumps.  If you see any, add a little more liquid and whisk them out.  Pour this mixture back into the pan slowly, counting to 10 as you do and whisking constantly and vigorously.

Turn the heat back on to medium.  Work all the angles of the pan, and scrape the bottom.  It will take 2 to 5 minutes to bring the custard to a boil, with large bubbles that slowly pop up to the surface.  Boil, whisking constantly, for 2 minutes.  Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Immediately pour the custard into a shallow container.  Place plastic wrap or buttered wax paper directly on the surface to cover it, and refrigerate for 2 hours, or until fully chilled.  

Nutella Pudding

Makes 4 cups

3 tablespoons cornstarch

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup cream

2 egg yolks 

2 cups whole milk

¼ cup sugar

¾ cup Nutella

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Put the cornstarch and salt in a medium bowl.  Slowly whisk in the cream, making sure there are no lumps. Whisk in the egg yolks.  It is important that this mixture be as smooth as you can make it.  (To be really sure, reach into the bowl and gently rub out any lumps.)

Whisk the milk and sugar over medium heat in a 3-quart saucepan until bubbles form around the edge of the milk and the entire surface begins to quiver.  Turn off the heat.

Pour 1 cup of the hot milk into the bowl with the slurry and whisk vigorously to combine.  They should come together smoothly, with no lumps.  If you see any, add a little more liquid and whisk them out.  Pour the tempered slurry back into the pan slowly, counting to 10 as you do and whisking vigorously.

Turn the heat back on to medium.  Work all the angles of the pan, and scrape the bottom.  It will take 2 to 5 minutes to bring the custard to a boil, with large bubbles that slowly pop up to the surface.  Boil, whisking constantly, for 2 minutes.  Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Put the Nutella in a bowl and ladle in about 1 cup of the hot pudding.  Whisk until smooth, then add the Nutella mixture back to the pan.  Whisk until thoroughly combined, add the vanilla, and stir.

Immediately pour the custard into a shallow container.  Place plastic wrap or buttered wax paper directly on the surface to cover it, and refrigerate.  This pudding is firm enough to be eaten warm after 30 minutes or so in the refrigerator.  

Source:  Bakeless Sweets byt Faith Durand

Strawberry-Banana Crepe Cake

Strawberry season is officially here!

From my parents' garden, we harvested small but big in taste strawberries.  The plants are still producing quite a big yield every summer, enough for a week's consumption.  Every day my mom would be in the backyard harvesting the berries.  I have a box of strawberry plants as well in my backyard but due to lack of sun, they never really produce enough berries for us.  I'm thinking of replacing those with something else in the future.  But my herbs thrive in the box garden well enough that I'm happy to have fresh herb every spring to use in my kitchen.

Yesterday I decided to pick strawberries at Lee Farms in Tualatin.  My plan was to make strawberry jam and to freeze the rest that we can't eat anymore.  Last year I made some jams that I ended up giving to friends and family that I didn't have enough for myself.  This year I want all for myself and those who want it, should pay for it :D  I drove to the field with my son late afternoon though the sun was hot but  it's still bearable.  Being in the field made me happy, it gave me the feeling that warmth of summer is here to stay.  The strawberries were huge and they're red on the inside too; this is how ripe strawberries should look like.

My son begged me to make strawberry pie and I also planned to make a breakfast treat for Father's Day, so even though we picked more strawberries than what we needed, they're off to good use.  Last night I made the crepe batter, stored it in the fridge afterwards, and this morning I cooked the crepe.  The crepe cake is consisted of layers of crepe with dollops of Nutella, sliced strawberries, and sliced bananas.  When I cut the cake to serve, the Nutella was oozing between the layers and they're so delicious.  Everyone agreed that this was a yummy breakfast and we all polished the whole cake in no time.  I'm dreaming of making a different combo next time...

Strawberry-Banana Crepe Cake

Serves 4



Crepe Batter:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large egg and 1 egg yolk

1 1/4 cups whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) melted butter, for the pan



Filling:

Chocolate-hazelnut spread, such as Nutella

Strawberries, sliced

Bananas, sliced



Confectioners' sugar



For crepes:  In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, and salt until combined.  Add eggs and yolk; process until blended.  With the motor running, slowly pour in milk and vanilla; process until smooth.  Refrigerate batter for 15 minutes, or up to overnight.

Warm a 9-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add just a bit of butter to coat the pan.  Pour about 3 tablespoons of batter into hot pan; pick up pan and swirl it around to evenly spread batter.  Place back on heat; cook for 30 seconds (I like to cook until edges are starting to get brown).  Using a spatula and fingers, flip crepe; cook for 30 seconds.  Crepe should be almost firm to the touch and spotty brown.  Transfer to a cutting board.  Repeat process with remaining batter to make about 10 crepes.  (You may have extra crepes; add them to the stack.)

Preheat broiler.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Layer two crepes on prepared pan.  Spread a thin layer of Nutella onto the top crepe; add a few strawberry and banana slices.  Top with another crepe and layer more Nutella, strawberry, and banana.  Repeat this process with remaining crepes.  Top with a final crepe.  Place baking sheet under broiler until cake is warmed through.  Sprinkle cake with confectioners' sugar.



Source:  Debbie Macomber's Christmas Cookbook

Banana Pecan Whoopie Pie with Salty Peanut Butter Filling

My first time trying out whoopie pie; the prediction?  I like this combo, banana-pecan with salted peanut butter filing. Don't expect crunchy cookies, these are soft cookies, more like cake than cookies.  The book that I refer to is an excellent book for whoopie pies.

Banana Pecan Whoopie Pie with Salty Peanut Butter Filling

Makes about 48 two-inch cakes

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 tablespoons vegetable shortening

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

3 very ripe bananas, mashed

3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degree F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Sift together both flours, baking soda, and salt onto a sheet of waxed paper.

In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, shortening, sugar, and vanilla until light and creamy, about 3 minutes.  Add the eggs and beat until combined.

Add the bananas and the pecans and beat on medium for about 2 minutes, until completely combined.

Using a spoon, drop about 1 tablespoon of batter onto one of the prepared baking sheets and repeat, spacing them at least 2 inches apart.  Bake one sheet at a time for about 10 minutes each, or until the cakes begin to brown.  Remove from the oven and let the cakes cool on the sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.

Salty Peanut Butter Filling

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

3/4 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter

3/4 cup (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the peanut butter and butter on low speed until smooth and creamy.  Add the confectioners' sugar and the salt and beat on low to incorporate.  Increase the speed to medium and beat until the filling is light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.

Source: Whoopie Pies:  Dozens of Mix 'em, Match 'em, Eat 'em Up Recipes by Sarah Billingsley and Amy Treadwell

Banana-Blueberry Gelato

When the weather was predicted to be super hot late last week, I quietly rejoiced because it's been cool ever since I was back in town.  It's like waiting for the summer to begin, my friends told me that I didn't miss much in July anyway.  August is supposed to be very nice in Oregon, I'm counting on you, Mother Earth.  We all wish that school didn't end till the end of June and will not start again until middle of September so we all can enjoy the warmth.

So yeah, the weather hovers around the upper 90's.  It's dry hot that's quite uncomfortable at times, I try to keep my house cool by opening windows in the morning, and shut them midmorning when the sun's going high.  The plan to make gelato came just as I had quite a bit fresh blueberries in the frigde.  I wanted to whip it up pretty quickly, providing it's also made of fruits, blueberry is one of them.

The first thing I made was the blueberry sauce for it to be added to the gelato.  The sauce was supposed to be a bit thicker, but it turned out okay, I could still use it.  Once the sauce chills, time to make the gealto base.  It's quite simple since it only used milk, sugar, vanilla extract, mashed bananas, and a bit of lemon juice to prevent the bananas from getting brown.  My idea was also to make gelato popsicle because it's fun for my son to eat it like that.  And you know what, chocolate covered gelato-on-a-stick is even better!

Photographing melted gelato on a hot day was fun, the waiting time is rewarded with something cool in the end.

Banana-Blueberry Gelato

Yields about 9 3-oz portions



Blueberry Sauce:

6 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 tablespoons water

1 1/2 cups fresh bluberries

Gelato:

1 1/4 cups whole milk

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 ripe bananas

Juice of 1/2 lemon

9 3-oz. paper cups

9 popsicle sticks



Make the blueberry sauce:

Mix the sugar and water in a small pan.  Heat until sugar is dissolved, then boil for 3 minutes or until the mixture is thickened, do not let it caramelized.  Cool slightly.  Puree the fresh blueberry in a food processor or a blender then press through a sieve over a bowl.  Stir in the syrup and chill well.

Make the gelato:

Heat the milk in a medium-sized pan, bring to boil continuously.  Take the pan off heat and pour the sugar and vanilla extract, stir until dissolved, cool slightly then chill well.

Put the lemon juice in a bowl, mash the bananas with fork into the bowl.  It is okay if the bananas pieces are a bit chunky.  Mix banana mixture with gelato base.  If using an ice cream machine, follow the manufacturer's instruction.  After the churning process is done while the gelato is still partly frozen, drop blueberry sauce by spoon into the gelato.  Mix it just enough to get ripple effects into the gelato.

Spoon and divide the mixture into the 3-oz. cups evenly, fill the cups until it is full.  Insert the popsicle sticks.  Freeze the gelato until firm.

*If desired, coat the gelato with melted chocolate.  I used bittersweet chocolate here, but you could use different types of chocolate as well.*



Source:  adapted from Making Ice Cream and Iced Desserts by Joanna Farrow and Sara Lewis

Americana Banana Roll

Banana is one fruit that's consistent in our household.  I enjoy eating banana that's not too ripe, so is my son.  The only person who's willing to eat ripe banana is my husband :)  Needless to say, there's always too many ripe bananas before we are able to finish them all.  So here is what I did with banana a few weeks ago.

One thing for sure is that I'm looking for an unusual method to incorporate banana in a cake.  I found it by trying a recipe from a book called The Simple Art of Perfect Baking by Flo Braker.  I was skeptical at first, banana in a roll cake?  Would it be possible?  But hey, there's nothing to lose, only one large banana to use!

The first step is to make a banana sheet cake which would be rolled later after it's filled with a combination of whipped cream and sour cream.  The sheet cake is sweet, not overly so, and when it's paired with the filling, it came out as a delightful roll cake.  Sour cream in a sweetened whipped cream is meant to give a little tang to the creaminess of the whipping cream.  It's a first for me to incorporate those two in one, something that I was grateful to learn.

I could hardly believe that the cake is so perfectly moist and very easy to make.  In less than 2 hours the cake was done and ready to be devoured.  This cake could take so many variations on the filling that I'm planning to make one again soon, as soon as one the bananas in the fruit basket is brown and ripe :)

Americana Banana Roll

Makes 8 to 10 servings



Banana Sheet Cake

Makes one 12 x 15 1/2-inch cake



1 cup sifted cake flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 large egg, room temperature

1/2 cup ( 1 large) mashed ripe banana

1 tablespoon sour cream

1 teaspoon lemon zest

5 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Position rack in lower third of oven; preheat oven to 375 degree F.

Lightly grease a 12 x 15 1/2 x 1/2-inch baking sheet and line pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang at each short end.  Grease and flour the foil, tapping excess flour. Pour flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a sifter.  Sift onto a sheet of waxed paper ; set aside.

Crack egg into a small bowl, and whisk briefly.  Combine the mashed banana, sour cream, and lemon zest in a small bowl; set aside.

Place butter in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer.  With a paddle beater, cream the butter on medium speed for 30 to 45 seconds, or until it is smooth and light.  Add sugar steadily, scrape the bowl as needed.  Continue to cream until mixture is light in color and fluffy in appearance.  Pour in the egg and continue to cream for about 1 to 2 minutes. Add half of the flour, stir with a rubber spatula.  Add the mashed banana mixture, stirring to blend.  Add the remaining flour mixture and stir until smooth.

Scoop the batter onto five different areas over two-thirds of the prepared baking sheet.  With a spatula, spread and coax the batter to cover the two-thirds of the sheet.  Extend it to the rest of the sheet in as even a layer as possible.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cake is light brown, the sides are beginning to contract from the metal, and the cake springs back when lightly touched in the center. Remove the pan from the oven.  Using a knife, release any portion of the cake sticking to the long sides of the pan.  Pull up on the foil overhangs, one at a time, to release foil from the pan's edges.  Lift up the cake bottom gently and transfer it to a large rack to cool.   Place a sheet of foil over the cake in a tent fashion, and let it cool for 30 minutes.

To make the roll cake:

One recipe Banana Sheet Cake

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

For the filling:

3/4 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons unsifted powdered sugar

Slip a baking sheet of the same size under the foil-lined banana sheet cake.  Sprinkle 1 tablespoon granulated sugar over the cake's surface.  Place two 18-inch strips of foil lengthwise on top of the sugared cake, one overlapping the other; then place a second baking sheet of the same size on top of the foil.  Invert the cake on it, and carefully peel the baking foil from the cake.

Combine the filling ingredients in the bowl of a mixer, with a wire beater whip until soft peak.

Lift the cake on the two overlapping sheets of foil off the baking sheet so that one of its long sides is parallel to the edge of your counter.  Spread the cream evenly over the cake, up to 1 inch on the long end.  Begin rolling by flipping the edge of cake nearest you over onto itself.  Then, with the aid of the foil, roll the cake lengthwise until you reach the end.

Sprinkle a light coating of powdered sugar over the cake before serving.



Source:  adapted from The Simple Art of Perfect Baking by Flo Braker