Banana Cream Cups Food

CRUSTLESS BANANA CREAM PIE CUPS

Steps:

• A medium-sized bowl
• Four ramekins (about 1 to 1.5 cups in size).
• A small sharp knife
• A large sauce pan
• Measuring cups (for sugar and starch)
• A liquid measuring cup (for milk)
• A medium to large whisk
• A hand or stand mixer
• Separate three eggs, putting the yolks into a medium-sized bowl. Either toss or save the egg whites if you can use them (they are not needed for the recipe). Set aside.
• Take out the four ramekins. Peel two bananas and using a small sharp knife, cut them into coins that are about 1/4 inch thick. You can cut them over the ramekins, letting each the pieces fall into the ramekin. Roughly half a banana should go into each ramekin. Set aside.
• In a large sauce pan, place the sugar and corn starch. Stir with a whisk to combine.
• Gradually pour the milk into the sauce pan, stirring with the whisk to mix thoroughly as you pour.
• Place the sauce pan on a stove burner and turn to medium-high heat. Stir the milk mixture continuously with the whisk until it starts to boil, which should take between roughly 5 minutes. If you don't stir the mixture continuously it will scorch and you will wind up with brown flecks.
• Once the mixture starts boiling, keep cooking and stirring for 2 more minutes. Remove the pan from the burner.
• Pour 1 cup of milk mixture into the liquid measuring cup. Slightly beat the eggs, then slowly pour the cup of milk mixture into the eggs, stirring as you go. Once the eggs and milk mixture are combined, pour it into the large sauce pan and stir to thoroughly combine. (Don't pour the eggs straight into the pan, as the mixture will be too hot and will cook the eggs, giving you little pieces of hard egg yolk.) Remove the pan from the burner.
• Add the vanilla and butter to the sauce pan and mix together with the whisk until both are incorporated.
• Pour the milk mixture into the ramekins in even amounts. There should be enough to cover the banana pieces.
• Place pieces of plastic wrap on top of the mixture in the ramekins, making sure the plastic touches the full surface so a tough skin doesn't form on the top. Stick the ramekins into the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours, or overnight. (Alternatively you can place the ramekins in the freezer for about an hour, then stick them in the fridge until they're ready to serve.)
• Before serving, pour the whipping cream into a medium size bowl and beat with a hand or stand mixer (or by hand if you're ambitious) until it stiffens.
• Take the ramekins out of the refrigerator and place a dollar of whipped cream onto the top of each one. Or spread the whipped cream into a thin layer, and using the extra optional banana, cut it into thin coins and place in a single layer on top of the whipped cream. If you want to be fancy you can also spoon the whipped cream into a pastry bag and pipe the whipped cream onto each ramekin.
• Serve with a spoon and enjoy!

BANANA CREAM PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to a 12-inch round, a bit less than 1/4 inch thick. Fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, trim crust so there's a 1/2-inch overhang all around. Fold under overhang so it extends slightly beyond edge of pie plate. Crimp edge as desired. Prick dough all over with a fork. Brush rim of dough with beaten egg. Chill pie shell until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Line chilled pie shell with a round of parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges of crust just turn golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove pie weights and parchment. Return crust to oven, and continue baking until golden all over, 20 to 25 minutes more. Place pie shell on a wire rack to cool completely.
• Prepare an ice bath; set aside. In a bowl, lightly whisk egg yolks; set aside. In a saucepan, whisk together milk, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Bring to a simmer (do not boil), and cook, whisking constantly, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Whisk a quarter of hot-milk mixture into egg yolks; whisk in remaining milk mixture. Strain into a clean saucepan, and cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until custard is thick and bubbles appear in center, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl, and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto surface to prevent a skin from forming. Set in ice bath until completely chilled, 30 to 35 minutes. (Filling can be kept in refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, up to 1 day.)
• Cut 3 or 4 bananas into 1/4-inch slices, slightly on the bias. Beginning at the edge of the piecrust, arrange the slices in slightly overlapping rows. Cover with custard, using an offset spatula to smooth it into an even layer. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine cream and confectioners' sugar; beat until soft peaks form. Using a small offset spatula, spread the whipped cream on top of the custard. Refrigerate pie, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
• Just before serving, cut 3 or 4 bananas into 1/4-inch slices, slightly on the bias. Beginning at the edge of the piecrust, arrange the slices in slightly overlapping rows on top of the whipped cream.

CARAMELIZED BANANAS AND VANILLA CREAM IN PHYLLO CUPS

Steps:

• Make phyllo cups:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter every other cup in 12-cup muffin pan. Place 1 phyllo rectangle on work surface; cover remaining phyllo with damp cloth to prevent drying. Brush rectangle with melted butter; sprinkle with 1/2 tablespoon sugar. Place second phyllo rectangle atop first; brush with butter and sprinkle with 1/2 tablespoon sugar. Repeat 3 more times; top with 1 more rectangle and brush with butter, making stack of 6 rectangles. Using small sharp knife and 6-inch-diameter plate as guide, cut out two 6-inch round stacks. Press each stack into 1 buttered muffin cup. Repeat entire procedure 2 more times, making 4 more phyllo cups (6 total). Bake cups until golden and crisp, about 15 minutes. Carefully lift cups, twisting slightly to loosen; place on rack. Cool completely. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)
• Make pastry cream:
• Whisk 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Gradually whisk in milk, then yolks. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Whisk over medium heat until pastry cream thickens and boils, about 6 minutes. Strain pastry cream into small bowl; press plastic wrap directly onto surface. Chill until cold, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.
• Preheat broiler. Place phyllo cups on small baking sheet. Spoon 1/3 cup pastry cream into each cup. Overlap 5 or 6 banana slices atop pastry cream in each cup. Sprinkle bananas with additional sugar. Broil pastries until sugar topping caramelizes, turning sheet for even browning, about 2 minutes. Transfer cups to plates. Scoop sorbet alongside.