Warm Chocolate Financier With Caramelized Bananas Recipes

CHOCOLATE FINANCIERS (FINANCIERS AU CHOCOLAT)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 355 F/180 C. In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, cocoa powder, icing (powdered) sugar, and sifted all-purpose flour and set aside. In a separate clean bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer for about 20 - 30 seconds. Add egg whites to the dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula. Add the cold melted butter and mix again.
• Butter cavities of a mini muffin pan. Transfer the batter to a pastry bag with the cut tip, and pipe it into molds filling up to two-thirds. Bake for 6 minutes, insert a cherry with a stem in each cake. Continue baking for the other 6 to 8 minutes until a cake tester or a toothpick comes out clean. Cool financiers in the tins for 5 minutes, then flip the mini muffin pan over to unmold cakes and let cool completely on a wire rack.

PEAR FINANCIERS

Steps:

• Make the browned butter: Melt 1 stick butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until it begins to bubble. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, swirling the pan, until the butter turns golden and smells nutty, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• Whisk both flours, 1/2 cup brown sugar and the salt in a medium bowl. Beat the egg whites in a large bowl with a mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form; stir in the vanilla. Fold in the browned butter and the dry ingredients, then cover the batter with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Butter a 12-cup muffin pan. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and combine in a large bowl with the pears and remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar; toss. Divide the batter among the muffin cups; top each with 3 pear slices. Bake until puffed and golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in the pan, then remove to a rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT BABKA FRENCH TOAST WITH CARAMELIZED BANANAS

Steps:

• For the French toast: Put the babka slices on a rack set over a baking sheet and let dry for a few hours.
• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F; put a baking sheet with a rack inside the oven.
• Whisk the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl until smooth. Whisk in the half-and-half. Transfer the custard to a baking dish. Place a few slices of the babka in the custard and let sit, turning once, until completely soaked through, 5 minutes.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick saute pan over medium heat until the butter foams. In batches (so you don't crowd the pan), cook the bread until golden brown on both sides and just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the cooked French toast to the baking sheet to keep warm.
• For the caramelized bananas: Melt the butter in a medium nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the sugar and cook until it just turns light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Place the sliced bananas in an even layer in the pan and cook until the bottoms become caramelized, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook another minute. Add the maple syrup and cook until just heated through, about 2 minutes.
• Serve the French toast topped with caramelized banana and dusted with confectioners' sugar.

CARAMELIZED BANANAS

Steps:

• chocolate-Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet. Add 2 sliced bananas and 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Cook until golden and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the bananas with cinnamon and spoon over rum raisin ice cream.
• Copyright (c)2011 Food Network Magazine, LLC. Published by Hyperion. Available wherever books are sold. All Rights Reserved. Photograph courtesy of Antonis Achilleos.

MINI CHOCOLATE CAKES WITH CARAMELIZED BANANAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a microwave, melt chocolate and butter; stir until smooth. Cool. Beat eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt on high speed until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. Sift in flour; mix just until combined. Fold in chocolate mixture., Spoon batter into 8 buttered 4-oz. ramekins dusted with cocoa. Place ramekins on a baking sheet. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 12-15 minutes. Run a small knife around sides of ramekins. Invert onto cooling rack; let stand 5 minutes. Remove ramekins; place cakes on individual plates., For bananas, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Toss banana slices with sugar until well coated; arrange in a single layer in skillet. Do not stir bananas until bottoms are golden brown, 4-5 minutes. Turn; cook until second side is golden brown, 4-5 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Place bananas on plates with cakes., For sauce, heat wine and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Whisk in chocolate. Pour over cakes.

CARAMELIZED BANANA SPLITS WITH HOT CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, then add bananas in 1 layer and sprinkle with brown sugar. Increase heat to medium-high and cook bananas, gently turning once and shaking skillet occasionally, until sugar is caramelized, 3 to 4 minutes. Divide bananas among 4 bowls, leaving any remaining caramel in skillet.
• Add cream to skillet and boil over medium heat, stirring, until caramel is dissolved. Add chocolate with a pinch of salt and whisk until melted.
• Top bananas with scoops of ice cream, then drizzle with some of chocolate sauce and sprinkle with nuts. (There will be extra sauce.)

WARM CARAMEL BANANAS

Steps:

• Melt butter in large skillet on medium heat. Add sugar; cook until melted, stirring occasionally. Gradually mix in sour cream; cook on low heat 1 min.
• Cut bananas lengthwise, then crosswise in half. Add, cut sides down, to skillet; cook 1 min., basting occasionally with sauce from bottom of skillet. Stir in nuts.
• Spoon bananas evenly into 4 dessert dishes; top with remaining sauce in skillet. Drizzle with chocolate; top with COOL WHIP.

BROILED BANANAS

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler,. Peel bananas and slice crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Mix the sugar and lime juice and toss with bananas. Spread bananas in shallow baking pan and broil until sugar has melted into a glaze, about 3 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately with sour cream and chopped pecans if desired.

GRILLED BANANAS

Steps:

• Build a charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill.
• Slice the bananas, in their skins, in half crosswise and then lengthwise so each banana yields 4 pieces. Set aside on a clean platter. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Drizzle the honey on the cut sides of the bananas and sprinkle them with the cinnamon sugar. Let the bananas sit for 5 minutes.
• Place the bananas, cut side down, on the center of grill. Grill for 2 minutes or until grill marks appear. Using a pair of tongs, turn them over and cook for 5 more minutes, or until the skin pulls away from the bananas. Remove the bananas from the grill and serve them immediately, on top of vanilla ice cream and drizzled with bourbon or liqueur, if desired.

WARM BANANAS WITH BROWN SUGAR AND BAY LEAF

Steps:

• In large skillet over high heat, melt the butter and cook until it browns, about 3 minutes. Add the bay leaves and stand back (it may pop). Add the lemon juice, orange juice, brown sugar, brandy, and a pinch of salt. Bring the mixture up to a boil. Stir and cook until the liquid has reduced by half and it has reached a syrupy consistency, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the bananas and pepper. Stir to coat the bananas evenly. Serve immediately spooned over cake or ice cream.
• Cooking Notes: You can make the sauce hours ahead of time. Just add the fruit after you bring the sauce back to a simmer. The fruit should be a little cool inside. Serve it with a good, store bought chocolate cake or spoon it over your favorite ice cream.

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.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED FROZEN BANANAS

Steps:

• Dipping decorations: granola, chopped nuts, sprinkles, jimmies, crushed cookies, and toasted coconut
• Line a sheet pan with waxed paper. Cut 1-inch off the end of each banana. Insert a popsicle stick into the cut-end of each banana, pushing the stick halfway in, leaving the other end exposed for use as a handle. Place the bananas on the sheet pan and freeze 1 hour.
• Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally.
• Arrange the dipping decorations on several flat plates. Working with 1 banana at a time, dip it in the chocolate and turn to completely coat (spoon some on, if needed). Roll the dipped banana in the desired decorations, transfer to the sheet pan, and return to the freezer.
• Once frozen, store the bananas in an airtight container.
• Serving suggestion: To serve at a kid's party, paint a hunk of styrofoam and stick the banana handles in the top, so they stand upright.

CHOCOLATE FINANCIERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a financier mold (tops of mold should measure approximately 1 7/8 by 3 * inches), madeleine mold or small muffin tin with vegetable oil and place on a baking sheet. If you use individual molds, you'll need 14.
• Melt the butter over medium-low heat, stirring often, until it turns amber and smells nutty; keep warm. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over low heat and keep warm. Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Set both the pod and seeds aside.
• In a large bowl, sift together the sugar and flour. Add the almonds and pistachios and mix with a wooden spoon. Add the egg whites, vanilla pod and seeds and stir vigorously. Strain a quarter of the warm butter over the mixture and stir to combine. Strain in the remaining butter and mix well; then stir in the melted chocolate.
• Let the batter cool to room temperature. Remove the vanilla pod. (The batter will hold in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)
• Pour the batter almost to the top of the molds. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes; rotate the pan after 6 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet and then transfer from the mold to a baking rack.