Banana Meringue With Raspberry Coulis Food

BANANA PUDDING WITH MERINGUE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Line the bottom of a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish with vanilla wafer cookies. Top with a layer of banana slices. Repeat layers until you reach the top of the dish or run out of bananas. Set aside.
• In a large saucepan, stir together the brown sugar and flour so there are no lumps. Mix in the egg and egg yolks. Gradually stir in the milk while warming over low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture becomes thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for about 1 minute. Then, pour the hot pudding evenly over the layers of banana and cookie in the casserole dish.
• In a separate clean bowl, whip the egg whites with an electric mixer until they can hold a soft peak. Gradually sprinkle in the sugar while continuing to whip until they can hold a firm peak. Use a spatula to spread the meringue over the top of the casserole.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the meringue has browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

RASPBERRY COULIS

Steps:

• Put all the ingredients in a small food processor or use a stick blender to blitz until very smooth.
• Set a sieve over a jug. Tip the mixture into the sieve and push through the liquid using a spatula. Discard the seeds. The coulis is ready to use. Will keep refrigerated in an airtight jar for up to two days.

STAR ANISE MERINGUES WITH MANGO COULIS & RASPBERRIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Tip the egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until soft peaks form (or whisk in a bowl with an electric whisk). Add the sugar, a spoonful at a time, mixing continuously until fully incorporated - about 10 secs between each addition. Keep whisking until glossy, stiff peaks form, about 1-2 mins. Sift in the cornflour and 1 tsp of star anise, and add the vinegar. Give everything a final whisk to incorporate.
• Line two large baking trays with baking parchment. Place approx 12cm dollops of meringue on the lined trays, making 12 in total. Sprinkle over the remaining star anise. Reduce oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2 and bake for 35 mins. Turn off the oven and let them cool inside for about 2 hrs. This is important - if you take them out at this point, they will be soft. The cooling process makes them crisp yet chewy in the centre.
• In a food processor, purée the mango flesh with the icing sugar until smooth. When ready to serve, swirl the mango coulis through the yogurt, then dollop on top of the cooled meringues. Decorate with the raspberries.

TRIO OF SORBETS WITH RASPBERRY COULIS

Steps:

• For banana sorbet:
• Place bananas in freezer to chill 10 minutes. Bring sugar and 1/2 cup water to simmer in heavy small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Beat egg yolks in small bowl to blend. Gradually whisk hot syrup into yolks. Return mixture to same saucepan and stir over low heat just until bubbles appear at pan edge and mixture thickens slightly, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Pour yolk mixture into processor. Add fresh lemon juice, salt and ground ginger. Peel cold bananas and slice. Add to processor bowl. Puree until smooth. Immediately transfer custard to ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to container and freeze. (Sorbet can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store in freezer.)
• For apricot sorbet:
• Bring 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar to boil in heavy small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. pour into processor bowl and cool.
• Combine remaining 1 cup water, apricots and wine in heavy medium saucepan. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until apricots are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Add mixture to syrup in processor. Add ginger and salt and puree. Cool.
• Transfer apricot mixture to ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer sorbet to container and freeze. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store in freezer.)
• For kiwi sorbet:
• Bring sugar and 1/2 cup water to boil in heavy small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cool.
• Puree diced kiwi in processor. Set aside 1 cup puree. Strain remaining puree through fine sieve. Combine both purees and syrup in ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to container and freeze. (Sorbet can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store in freezer.)
• For raspberry coulis:
• Puree all ingredients in processor. Strain through fine sieve. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Spread Raspberry Coulis in center of each dessert plate. Arrange 1 scoop of each sorbet on sauce. Garnish with fresh fruit if desired and serve.

BANANA RICE PUDDING SERVED WITH A RASPBERRY COULIS

Steps:

• Place milk into saucepan with vanilla pod, bring to the boil.
• Pour in rice and sugar and stir.
• Add a pinch of cinnamon.
• Grease an ovenproof dish and pour in rice pudding then grease a small circle of greaseproof paper (this will stop a skin from forming). Put in a preheated oven 160C for 2 hours.
• Raspberry sauce: Place raspberries in a food processor with the icing sugar and blend to a smooth pouring consistency.
• Strain the sauce to remove the seeds and put aside. Take the pudding out of the oven and mix in the creme fraiche. Mash the banana and mix with the pudding.
• Add honey and crushed nuts and mix.
• Then pack pudding into a ramekin dish, sprinkle the top with brown sugar and place under the grill.
• Place ramekin on to a plate and decorate with the sauce. Garnish with fresh sprigs of mint.