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In the Oven: Banana Caramel Pudding with Meringue Topping
Next up, a cool, creamy banana pudding. Posting date is July 20!
Banana Caramel Pudding with Meringue Topping
Yield: 8 servings
For the Caramel Base
1 1⁄2 cups sugar
1 cup heavy cream
For the Banana Pudding
2 large eggs, plus 2 large egg yolks
4 cups half-and-half, divided
1⁄3 cup cornstarch
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
2 ounces (1⁄2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
5 or 6 bananas, not quite ripe, yet not green
30 vanilla wafer cookies (about 6 ounces), cut or crushed into large chunks
For the Meringue Topping
4 large egg whites
1⁄4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1⁄2 cup sugar
Make the Caramel Base
In a large saucepan with high sides, combine the sugar and 1⁄3 cup of water. Stir the mixture gently so you don’t splash any of it up on the sides of the pan. Turn the heat to medium-high and continue stirring until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to high, stop stirring, and allow the mixture to boil. Once it begins to turn a rich caramel color, remove it from the heat and gently stream in the cream (it will bubble up, so add the cream slowly at first). Stir until combined. Set aside.
Make the Banana Pudding
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolks until pale and blended.
In another medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup of the half-and-half, the cornstarch, and the salt until the mixture is uniform and the cornstarch has dissolved. Whisk this mixture into the caramel base. Place the caramel mixture over medium-high heat and whisk in the remaining 3 cups of half-and-half. While whisking constantly but gently, bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and boil (still whisking) for about 15 seconds. The mixture will thicken. Remove from the heat and continue whisking vigorously for about 15 seconds to release excess heat.
Pour one-third of the caramel mixture into the egg mixture, whisking the egg mixture constantly. Transfer the egg mixture into the saucepan with the caramel mixture and, whisking constantly, bring back to a boil. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the custard is very thick. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, then the vanilla bean paste.
Push the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a separate bowl and allow the custard to come to room temperature, about 1 hour. Stir the custard, cover the bowl, and place in the refrigerator for about 1 hour to chill. (The custard can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time and should be stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered.)
Assemble the pudding
Thirty minutes before the custard is entirely chilled, place eight 6-ounce ramekins or a large 11⁄2-quart soufflé or baking dish on a baking sheet and use one of the following methods for assembling the final dish, then return the pudding, uncovered, to the refrigerator to chill while you make the Meringue Topping.
Layer method: Spread a small amount of pudding on the bottom of each ramekin or of the large dish. Thinly slice the bananas and arrange in a single layer on top. Sprinkle one-third of the cookies on top of the bananas, then cover with one-third of the remaining pudding. Repeat twice more (bananas, cookies, pudding) so that your top layer is pudding.
No-layer method (a.k.a. lazy method): Thinly slice the bananas and sprinkle them over the chilled pudding. Sprinkle the cookies over the bananas. Using a wooden spoon, fold the bananas and cookies into the pudding until completely combined. Divide the mixture equally among the ramekins or pour into the large dish.
Make the Meringue Topping
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and sprinkle them with the cream of tartar. Beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks just begin to form, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium, slowly stream in the sugar, and continue beating until the whites are glossy and stiff but not dry.
Pile the meringue high and with a little artistic flair directly onto the pudding. Be sure to spread it all the way to the edges.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the meringue turns golden brown. Place the sheet pan with the pudding on a wire rack to cool for 30 to 40 minutes.
Banana pudding tastes great slightly warm (though it will be very runny) and even better thoroughly chilled. It can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 3 days; note that the cookies will continue to soften as time goes on.
Excerpted from Baked Elements: Our 10 Favorite Ingredients by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copyright © 2012 by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Excerpted by permission of Stewart, Tabori & Chang, an imprint of Abrams. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Roundup: Lemon Pecorino Pepper Icebox Cookies
Leave your Links: Lemon Pecorino Pepper Icebox Cookies
Links here for these cheesy-peppery cookies….
In the Oven: Lemon Pecorino Pepper Icebox Cookies
Posting date is Sunday, 13 July
Lemon Pecorino Pepper Icebox Cookies
Yield: 45 to 60 cookies
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into ½-inch cubes
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons lemon zest (about 3 lemons)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sanding sugar or colored sanding sugar (optional)
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until creamy. Add the confectioners’ sugar and Pecorino Romano and beat on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy. Add the egg and egg yolk and beat until just combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and add the salt, pepper, lemon zest, and lemon juice and beat until incorporated.
Add the flour all at once and beat on the lowest speed until just incorporated. Do not overbeat. Gather the dough into a ball, slice it in half, and wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
Turn the first piece of dough out onto a smooth, very lightly floured surface (preferably a cold surface like marble or steel) and use your floured hands to form and roll the dough into a cookie log 1 3/4 to 2 inches thick. Repeat the process with the second piece. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours. The dough will keep in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped, for 3 to 5 days.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove the logs from the refrigerator and roll each one in the sanding sugar to coat the sides. Slice the cookies 1/3 inch thick and place on the prepared baking sheets about 1/2 inch apart. (Note: You can cut the cookies slightly thicker and bake them slightly longer for a less crunchy cookie, if that is your personal preference.)
Bake for 11 to 13 minutes (no color equals a softer cookie, slightly brown equals a crispier cookie). Remove the baking sheets from the oven and set them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Then use a spatula to transfer the cookies directly to the racks to cool completely.
The cookies can be stored at room temperature, tightly covered, for up to 4 days.
Excerpted from Baked Elements: Our 10 Favorite Ingredients by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copyright © 2012 by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Excerpted by permission of Stewart, Tabori & Chang, an imprint of Abrams. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Roundup: Easy Candy Bar Tart
In the Oven: Easy Candy Bar Tart
Posting date is July 6th! Happy baking!
Note that there’s an error in the book – the baking interactions for the crust are omitted, but they’re included here.
Easy Candy Bar Tart
Yield: One 9-inch tart
For the Chocolate Cookie Crust
30 chocolate wafer cookies (about6 ounces)
1 tablespoon sugar
3 ounces (3⁄4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
For the Caramel Walnut Filling
1 cup sugar
1⁄3 cup heavy cream
21⁄2 ounces (5 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes
1⁄2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1⁄2 teaspoon fleur de sel
2 cups walnuts, toasted
For the Chocolate Glaze
4 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (60 to 72%), coarsely chopped
3 ounces (3⁄4 stick) unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
Make the Chocolate Cookie Crust
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a food processor, pulse the cookies into a very fine powder. You should have about 1 1⁄2 cups. Place the crumbs in a medium bowl and stir in the sugar.
Pour the butter over the crumb mixture and mix until well combined. The mixture will feel wet. Turn the crumb mixture out into the prepared pan and press it into the bottom and up the sides (just shy of 1 inch high). You can use the back of a large spoon or the bottom of a glass to even out the crust.
Bake the crust crust until it’s set (about 10 minutes) or until just fragrant. Put it in the refrigerator while you make the filling.
Make the Caramel Walnut Filling
In a medium saucepan with high sides, combine the sugar with 1⁄4 cup water. Stir the mixture gently so you don’t splash any of it up on the sides of the pan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to high, and, without stirring, allow the mixture to boil. Once it begins to turn a rich amber color, remove it from the heat and slowly stream in the cream. After the mixture stops bubbling, return the pan to very low heat and whisk in the butter. Continue whisking gently until the caramel is uniform and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and fleur de sel.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the walnuts. Pour the filling into the prepared crust and chill the tart for at least 1 hour.
Make the Chocolate Glaze
Place the chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in the bowl of a double boiler over medium heat. Using a rubber spatula, stir the mixture until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the water and stir the glaze to release excess heat.
Pour the glaze over the tart and use an offset spatula to smooth it out to the edges—try to cover the entire surface of the tart. Refrigerate the tart for 1 hour to set the glaze before slicing and serving.
Serve slightly chilled or at room temperature. The tart can be stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Excerpted from Baked Elements: Our 10 Favorite Ingredients by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copyright © 2012 by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Excerpted by permission of Stewart, Tabori & Chang, an imprint of Abrams. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Leave your Links: Banana Whoopie Pies
How did everyone enjoy the Banana Whoopie Pies? And that filling? Leave your links below!
In the Oven: Banana Whoopie Pies
Back to our regular scheduled programming. Someone (me) may have jumped the gun on the candy bar tart – it’s the lure of caramel.
For this week, it’s banana whoopie pies! It wouldn’t be a Baked book without at least one whoopie pie recipe. Make these full-sized, or as fun minis, your choice.
Let’s bake!
Banana Whoopie Pies
Yield: 15 to 20 whoopie pies
For the Banana Whoopies
3 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3⁄4 cup canola oil
1 cup sour cream
1 1⁄2 bananas, mashed (about 1⁄2 cup)
2 large eggs
For the Milk Chocolate Swiss Meringue
5 large egg whites
1 1⁄2 cups granulated sugar
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, cool but not cold, cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 ounces good-quality milk chocolate, melted and cooled
For the Assembly
Dried banana chips (optional)
Sliced fresh bananas (optional)
Make the Banana Whoopies
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and set aside.
In a medium bowl, stir the brown sugar and oil together (you might have to use your hands to break up the larger chunks of brown sugar). Add the sour cream and bananas and whisk until combined. Add the eggs and whisk until smooth.
Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Make sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as you fold.
Using a small ice cream scoop with a release mechanism, drop heaping tablespoons of the dough about 1 inch apart onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are just starting to brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cookie comes out clean. Transfer the pans to wire racks. Let the cookies cool completely on the pans.
Make the Milk Chocolate Swiss Meringue
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites and sugar together. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water (do not let the water touch the bottom of the bowl). Heat the mixture until the sugar is completely dissolved and the color is milk white, 2 to 3 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and, starting slowly, increase the speed to medium-high; beat until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Remove the whisk attachment and replace with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and beat on medium-high speed (again starting slowly at first) until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. If the buttercream looks like it is separating, don’t worry; it will eventually come together. Add the salt and vanilla and beat for 5 seconds to combine. Gently fold in the chocolate until the mixture is even in color.
Assemble the Banana Whoopie Pies
Turn half of the cooled cookies flat side up. Using a small ice cream scoop with a release mechanism, or a tablespoon, drop a large dollop of filling onto the flat side of a cookie. Place another cookie, flat side down, on top of the filling. Press slightly so that the filling spreads to the edges of the cookie. Repeat until all the cookies are used.
Place a banana chip or a slice of fresh banana directly on top and in the center of each cookie if you like. Skewer the chip or banana slice and most of the cookie with a toothpick, hors d’oeuvre style. Put the whoopie pies in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm up before serving.
The whoopie pies will keep in the refrigerator on a parchment-lined baking sheet, tightly covered, for up to 3 days (though they taste best if eaten within 2 days). Bring the whoopie pies to room temperature before serving.
Excerpted from Baked Elements: Our 10 Favorite Ingredients by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copyright © 2012 by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Excerpted by permission of Stewart, Tabori & Chang, an imprint of Abrams. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Roundup: Bourbon, Vanilla, and Chocolate Milk Shakes and Simple Chocolate Syrup
Boozy shakes yes, but the simple chocolate syrup gave all of the bakers trouble this week.