Chocolate and banana tart

                               Pate sablee

                               100gr                                                       butter

                               60gr                                                         sugar 

                               33gr                                                         cocoa powder

                               1                                                              egg

                               160gr                                                       flour

                               as preferred                                             vanilla

                               Cream

                               45gr                                                          caster sugar 

                               60gr                                                          sour cream

                               100gr                                                        heavy cream 

                                4                                                              eggs

                                as preferred                                             vanilla

                              

                               Caramelized bananas

                               350gr                                                         bananas

                               40gr                                                           caster sugar

                              

                               Banana and chocolate mousse

                               56gr                                                           sugar

                               24gr                                                           butter , room temperature

                               24gr                                                           milk, room temperature

                               240gr                                                         bananas

                               8gr                                                            lemon juice

                               200gr                                                         heavy cream whipped to soft peaks

                               150gr                                                         chocolate 70%

For the crust beat butter with sugar and vanilla until fluffy, beat in the egg and then add the flour. Shift in the cocoa powder and give the dough a quick stir until the ingredients are well combined. Refrigerate for an hour and meanwhile prepare the bottom filling. Slice the bananas and put the sugar in a pan over high heat . When the sugar starts to melt move a few times the pan so that the caramel spreads and doesn't burn locally and when it gets a dark orange color add the bananas and caramelize.  



After an hour in the fridge remove the dough and roll it enough to fit a 12cmx26cm form or a pan with the same area. Cover with foil and rice or beans and bake at a preheated oven to 170C for 15min. Then remove the covering and put it back in the oven for 10 more minutes. Meanwhile prepare the cream filling by simply bringing all the ingredients together and when the crust is done, spread a layer of caramelized bananas on the bottom and cover with the cream. Continue baking at 180-190C for about 25min, remove and let it completely cool.

For the chocolate mousse make again a caramel with the sugar and add in consecutively the butter and milk. When the mixture is homogenous bring the chopped bananas to the saucepan and cook until the fruit has soften. Remove from the heat, let cool for a while and add the chocolate. Smooth with a blender and when the mixture has completely cooled, fold in the whipped cream. Refrigerate the mousse until set, cut the tart to individual pieces and garnish them on top with the chocolate mousse. 

Lemon & banana with chocolate chips cakes

Despite the creativity I have admired in many of the other bakers recipes, I chose to join in this month's challenge with the simple lemon and banana with chocolate chips cakes. Considering the minimum preparation time, the result was one of the worthiest so far, especially for the coconut-lemon flavored ones in whitch lemon zest but also juice gave them a perect sourness and moist and the cream cheese frosting added even more creaminess to the texture.

                       Lemon cakes (for 8 mini-sized)
                       220gr                                                               cake flour
                       120gr                                                               butter, room temperature
                       180gr                                                               granulated sugar
                       180gr (3 big)                                                    eggs
                       90gr                                                                 lemon juice
                       1tsp                                                                 baking powder
                       2                                                                     lemons (zest)
                       80gr                                                                cream cheese
                       1 Tbs                                                               powdered sugar
                       1 cup                                                               shredded coconut

Beat the butter with granulated sugar and zest until creamy and separately shift the flour and baking powder together. Add and beat the eggs in the butter, one at a time, pour in the lemon juice (90gr) and incorporate the dry ingredients. If not using silicone, butter and flour muffin-sized forms before filling and bake at a preheated oven to 180C for about 20min. For the frosting soften the cream cheese whisking in the powdered sugar and add the juice. Then spread a thin layer on each cake and cover completely with a coconut coating. Alternately drizzle some simple sugar glaze on top.

                 Banana and chocolate chips cakes (for 8 mini-sized)

                 90gr                                                                      butter, melted

                 200gr                                                                    granulated sugar

                 70gr                                                                      eggs

                 290gr (3bananas)                                                   banana puree

                 320gr                                                                    cake flour

                 80gr                                                                      milk

                120gr                                                                     chocolate chips

                5 Tbs                                                                     cold coffee

                4gr                                                                        baking powder

                4gr                                                                        baking soda

                pinch of                                                                cinnamon

Shift the dry ingredients together and mix the puree with eggs, milk, sugar, coffee, butter and chocolate. Then add the flour mixture and and whisk until combined. Fill equally 8 forms and bake at preheated oven to 180C for 20min. Let cool and optionally cover with melted chocolate. 



Banana and Chocolate Baked Alaska

Baked Alaska is a dessert I've always wanted to try but postponed due to my previous failed attempts in ice cream making without a machine. To be honest, the texture of my banana ice cream was not far better this time, but the flavor turned out great. My meringue was (once again) quite spongy and overwhipped, but overall, everything came together wonderfully in enjoyable (to eat and make) dessert.

           Browned butter cake
         275gr (200gr work fine)       butter
         172gr                                   flour
         28gr                                     cocoa powder (or additional flour)
         5gr                                      baking powder
         3gr                                      salt
         110gr                                   brown sugar
         75gr (or 60gr)                       granulated sugar
         4                                          eggs
         55gr (optional)                     chopped walnuts
         35gr (optional)                     candied orange peel
         4Tbsp (optional)                 Grand Marnier (or some vanilla extract)


         Banana ice cream
         600ml                                  whole milk
         420ml                                  heavy cream
         120gr (6)                             egg yolks
         210gr                                  granulated sugar
         30gr                                    corn syrup
         240-300gr                            banana
         1/2                                     vanilla pod


         Chocolate granita
         150gr                                   chopped chocolate 70%
         535gr                                   water
         140gr                                   granulated sugar
         26gr                                     cocoa powder
         5gr                                       rum


         Banana sauce
         80gr                                     granulated sugar
         80gr                                     water
         40gr                                     brown sugar

         3Tbsp                                   lemon juice

         1/2                                      vanilla pod

         1 1/2                                    fine chopped bananas

         20gr                                      rum

         Meringue

         146gr                                    granulated sugar

         22gr                                     glucose or corn syrup

         34gr                                     water

         90gr (3)                                egg whites

The ''personallity'' of this chocolate cake is based on the browning of butter. However, if you prefer a healthier version don't hesitate to use the redused amount of butter without browning, or even to substitute it with margarine. In case you take the other way, place the butter in a 25cm skillet over medium heat and brown it until the milk solids are a dark chocolate brown and the butter smells nutty. (Don’t take your eyes off the butter in case it burns). Pour into a shallow bowl and chill in the freezer until just congealed, 15-30 minutes. Shift together flour, salt baking powder and cocoa, and in a food processor blend Grand Marnier with candied peel (if using) untill fine chopped. Beat butter with brown and granulated sugar in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until flaffy, and gradually add the eggs one at time, beating after each addition. Then fold in the walnuts with peel or vanilla and stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Spread the batter in buttered 24x27cm pan and bake in a preheated oven to 160C for 25min or less. Let cool and cut one 17cm-diametre and two 9cm-diametre circles.

     For the chocolate granita bring water, sugar and cocoa to a boil and pour the hot mixture over the chocolate, stiring until homogenous. You can add some fine chopped cocoa nibs if you like. Let the mixture cool completely and put in fridge until cold. Then add the rum and follow the instructions of your ice cream maker. Meanwhile, prepare the banana sauce by boiling all ingredients except rum for 4min. When ready, add the liquer and let cool. Prepare your pans by covering one charlotte form (or deep saucepan) and two big cups (or high 9cm-diametre rings) with plastic wrap. When granita is done, sread one layer of it in the bottom of each covered utensil and freeze.

 For the banana ice cream, warm milk, vanilla and cream in a saucepan and whip the egg yolks with sugar and glucose until slightly thickened. When milk has come to a boil, stir one-third of it in the yolk mixture and return to the heat. Stir constantly until the mixture reaches 82-85C and strain into a clean bowl over ice, to speed up the cooling. Refrigerate until completely cold and add 4Tbsp of banana sauce or more(optional). Pulp the fresh bananas and stir them too in the mixture. Thus, the ice cream is ready for your machine. When done, spread it on top of the chocolate layer and freeze until hard. Meanwhile, moisten the cake bases with the remaining banana sauce and assemble the baked Alaska by covering them with the prepared ice cream, after it has been frozen and unmolded. Keep the cakes in the freezer while making the meringue (according to the recipe ''Kirsch mousse torte'') and then spread it with a spatula or piping bag over the cold cakes. After each cake is done with covering, freeze it again to prevent melting. When it is completely cold, bring it out and burn the meringue on its surface with a torch. Garnish with sauce, if left, and it is ready to serve.