Banana Pecan Strudels Recipes

STREUSEL BANANA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with a rack in lower third. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan; line with parchment, leaving a 1-inch overhang on long sides. In a bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in butter and pecans until small clumps form and mixture is evenly moistened. (Streusel can be made ahead and refrigerated, covered, up to 3 days.)
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together butter, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk; stir in bananas. Make a well in flour mixture and pour banana mixture in. Stir together until just combined (do not overmix). Spoon half of batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle half of streusel evenly over batter. Add remaining batter, then sprinkle remaining streusel evenly over top.
• Bake until golden brown and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour, 20 minutes. (If top is browning too quickly, tent with foil.) Let cool in pan 20 minutes, then transfer using parchment to a wire rack. Let cool completely before serving.

BANANA CHOCOLATE STRUDEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with waxed paper. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the cream cheese until soft and smooth. Add the egg yolk and mix. Add the confectioners' sugar, the vanilla and cinnamon and mix. Add the chocolate and mix just until incorporated. Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip (or just set aside in a bowl).
• Transfer 1 sheet of phyllo to the prepared pan. Using a pastry brush, brush the phyllo with melted butter. Sprinkle evenly with 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons of the ground walnuts, and lay another sheet of phyllo on top. Brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar and 3 tablespoons of walnuts. Repeat with third sheet of phyllo. Reserve the remaining melted butter, sugar, and walnuts.
• Pipe half the cheese filling in a line along one short end of the phyllo, leaving a 2-inch margin on the top, bottom, and side. Arrange the whole bananas next to the cheese. Pipe the remaining filling next to the bananas. Starting at the filled end, roll the phyllo up tightly to encase the filling. Move the log to the center of the sheet pan and tuck the ends under to keep the filling from oozing out. Brush the surface with melted butter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar. You may not use up all the melted butter and walnuts.
• Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool 10 to 15 minutes on the pan. Using a serrated knife, cut carefully into sections and serve warm.

BANANA CHOCOLATE STRUDEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Arrange 1 phyllo sheet on a work surface with a short side of phyllo nearest you, keeping remaining sheets covered, and brush with some butter. Top phyllo with 3 more sheets of phyllo, brushing each with butter. Arrange bananas one above the other, horizontally, on lower third of phyllo, leaving a 1-inch border on both sides (trim bananas if too long). Sprinkle chocolate over bananas, then fold sides of phyllo toward middle (over ends of bananas). Fold bottom edge of phyllo over bananas and roll up bananas in phyllo.
• Transfer strudel, seam side down, to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or to a buttered baking sheet, then brush strudel with beaten egg. Cut 4 (1/2-inch-long) steam vents diagonally along top of strudel with a sharp knife. Bake in middle of oven until golden, about 12 to 15 minutes. Cool slightly on a rack, then dust with confectioners sugar.

MASHED SWEET POTATOES AND BANANAS WITH PECAN STREUSEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Pierce sweet potatoes with fork. Place on rimmed baking sheet or in roasting pan and bake until almost soft, about 40 minutes. Add bananas to roasting pan alongside sweet potatoes and bake until banana skins brown, about 10 minutes. Let sweet potatoes and bananas stand at room temperature until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes (maintain oven temperature). Cut sweet potatoes in half. Scoop flesh from sweet potatoes into large bowl. Peel bananas; add to bowl. Add 1/2 cup butter and honey; beat with wooden spoon until blended and fluffy. Season to taste with salt. Transfer to 8- to 10-cup ovenproof baking dish.
• Mix nuts, sugar, and flour in bowl. Add 1/2 cup butter; mix with fingertips until coarse crumbs form. (Potatoes and streusel can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately; chill. Before continuing, preheat oven to 400°F.) Sprinkle streusel over potatoes. Bake until top is golden brown and potatoes are hot, about 25 minutes.