Banana Panini Recipes

CREAMY BANANA FOSTER DESSERT PANINI

Steps:

• Heat panini grill.
• Mix cream cheese and sugar in medium bowl until blended. Stir in bananas and chocolate; spread onto 4 bread slices. Cover with remaining bread slices.
• Brush both sides of sandwiches with butter.
• Grill 2 min. or until golden brown. Cut in half.

GRILLED BANANA PANINI

Steps:

• Run a knife around edges of angel cake and turn it out onto a work surface. With a large serrated knife, cut cake horizontally into three equal layers, reserving top layer for another use or slicing it to grill along with panini. Place middle cake layer on a piece of foil large enough to hold it.
• Peel bananas, leaving them lying in peel for ease of handling and slice thinly on bias. Pick up one banana with both hands, holding slices together, and place on cake, spreading slices to cover half of cake ring. Repeat with other banana so you have a cake ring topped with a ring of bananas. Sprinkle with dessert wine, if using, and top with bottom cake layer.
• Use foil to cover the outside of a very heavy skillet, such as cast iron or enameled cast iron with a heat-proof handle. This will protect it from soot. Place skillet on grill and allow to heat on medium-high. When it's hot, add two tablespoons of the butter, spreading it with a spatula to coat skillet as it melts. Using your hands or two spatulas, carefully lift banana-filled panini into skillet. Use spatula to press edges firmly to give panini a uniform edge and re-adhere ragged pieces. Put a second heavy, heat-proof skillet on top of cake and press firmly to compact panini.
• Close grill and let panini toast on medium to medium-high until golden brown and crisp. Check periodically by lifting the edge with a spatula. Depending on how hot your grill is and how heavy the skillet, the butter can start to burn. With two spatulas, remove panini to foil piece and melt the rest of the butter in skillet, spreading it around with spatula to coat skillet evenly.
• Turn untoasted side of panini into skillet and return heavy skillet to the top, pressing again to compact. Toast until crisp and golden and bananas are soft - about another 10 minutes. Remove panini to a serving plate and serve in slices or on a bed of fresh seasonal fruit, if desired.

PEANUT BUTTER AND BANANA PANINI

Steps:

• Lay out the bread slices and spread them both with peanut butter. Lay the banana slices on one piece of bread. Press the 2 slices together.
• Butter one side of the sandwich and put it on a hot panini maker butter-side down. Butter the other side, close the lid and cook until it's toasted and warmed through. (If you do not have a panini maker, you can grill the sandwich in a skillet, laying another heavy skillet on top of the sandwich to press it together. Turn to grill the other side in the same way.)
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar, cut in half and serve!

FRENCH TOAST PANINI WITH GRILLED BANANAS

Steps:

• Whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, orange juice, vanilla, cognac, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of salt in a bowl.
• Place the bread in 2 shallow baking dishes in a single layer. Pour the egg mixture over the bread; let soak for 10 minutes.
• While the bread is soaking, preheat a grill to medium. Place a flat cast-iron skillet on the grill. Brush the bananas with the melted butter; cook in the skillet until they are browned on all sides and beginning to release their juices, about 3 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer the bananas to a plate, then wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel. When the bananas are cool enough to handle, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
• Remove a piece of bread from the egg mixture, allowing the excess to drip off. Place on a cutting board, top with four or five banana slices, then cover with another piece of bread. Brush the skillet on the grill lightly with vegetable oil. Add the sandwich to the pan; place a grill press or heavy pan over the sandwich to weigh it down. Cook until the bread is nicely toasted and golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip, press and cook on the other side until golden. Keep warm; repeat with the remaining bread and bananas, adding more oil as needed. Transfer the panini to plates and slice in half diagonally; top with confectioners' sugar and plenty of maple syrup.

GRILLED BANANA AND NUTELLA PANINI

Steps:

• Place the bananas in a bowl and mash until smooth.
• Place the slices of bread on a flat surface and spread each slice with some of the hazelnut spread. Spread the mashed banana over 6 of the slices and combine the slices to make 6 sandwiches.
• Heat the grill to medium-high.
• Spread 1 side of each sandwich with some of the butter and place on the grill, buttered-side down. Grill until golden brown. Spread the remaining butter on the bread facing up, flip over and continue grilling until golden brown. Remove from the grill and sprinkle with the confectioners' sugar. Eat immediately.