Brazil Nut Banana Parfait Food

TROPICAL BANANA NUT PARFAITS

Steps:

• In each of 4 parfait glasses, alternate layers of yogurt, cereal, banana and strawberries.
• Top each serving with coconut. Serve immediately.

BRAZIL NUT & BANANA PARFAIT

Steps:

• Put the brazil nuts and maple syrup in a small saucepan over low heat and cook until the syrup bubbles. Remove from the heat and stir in the oats. Transfer to a nonstick baking sheet and place in a preheated oven, at 325°F, for 10 minutes, or until the oats are toasted and sticky.
• Mix the yogurt with the vanilla, cinnamon, and confectioners' sugar and set aside. Reserve 4 slices of banana for decoration, then place the remaining bananas in another bowl with the lemon juice and raw sugar and toss to coat.
• Divide half the yogurt mixture among 4 glass bowls or sundae glasses, top with half the bananas, then half the nut mixture. Repeat the layers, finishing with the nut mixture. Decorate with the reserved banana slices and chill until ready to serve.

BANANA PUDDING PARFAITS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes. Whisk in sour cream and vanilla. Fold in three-fourths of the whipped topping. , Set aside eight vanilla wafers. Place one wafer into each of eight parfait glasses; top with a third of the banana slices and pudding mixture. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining whipped topping. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Garnish with reserved vanilla wafers.

HEALTHY BANANA SPLIT PARFAITS

Steps:

• Put the chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between each, until smooth and pourable.
• Cut the bananas into 1/4-inch rounds and toss them with most of the walnuts in a medium bowl. (Reserve some nuts for the top.)
• To assemble the parfaits: Divide the pineapple evenly among 4 rocks, float or parfait glasses. Next, add the coated bananas. Top each with a scoop of ice cream and drizzle with the melted chocolate. Sprinkle with the reserved walnuts and top with a cherry.

OATMEAL-BANANA PARFAITS

Steps:

• Make the bark: Preheat the oven to 350. Combine the flour, oatmeal, walnuts, sugar and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat and cook until light brown, 6 minutes. Stir into the dry ingredients. Press the dough into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake until golden brown, 30 minutes.
• Remove the crust from the oven and sprinkle with the chocolate; let stand until soft, then spread with the back of a spoon. Refrigerate the bark until firm, 30 minutes. Break into pieces.
• Make the oatmeal cream: Fill a large bowl with ice. Microwave 3/4 cup cream until simmering, 45 seconds. Puree with the oatmeal, sugar, a pinch of salt, vanilla and nutmeg in a blender. Transfer to a bowl and place over the ice; whisk until cool and thick. In another bowl, whisk the remaining 3/4 cup cream until soft peaks form; fold in the oatmeal puree.
• Layer the oatmeal cream, bananas and crushed bark in 4 parfait glasses

FROZEN BANANA & PRALINE PARFAIT

Steps:

• To make the praline, put the sugar into a heavy-based pan with 3 tbsp water. Place over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved and is clear. Don't stir, or it will crystallise. Increase the heat and bubble to a dark caramel (see video technique), about 5 mins. Remove from the heat, stir through the nuts, then tip onto a lightly greased non-stick baking tray. Spread to level and leave to cool. Be careful as the tray will get very hot.
• When the praline is cold and brittle, break it into pieces. Then, using the end of a rolling pin, smash it up until fairly well crushed. If this is proving hard work, tip into a food processor and pulse until it's the texture of coarse breadcrumbs.
• Line a 1.2-litre loaf tin with a strip of baking parchment (this size tin gives a neat shape, but you can set the parfait in any shaped tin, or individual pudding basins or ramekins). In a bowl, mash the bananas with half the lemon juice until you have a rough purée, then set aside.
• Put the cream into a bowl and whip until it holds its shape but is still a little soft. In another very clean bowl and using a very clean electric whisk, beat the egg whites with a squeeze more lemon juice until stiff. Slowly add the sugar until you have a stiff, shiny meringue.
• Gently fold the whipped cream and meringue together, then add the banana and most of the praline, leaving about 4 tbsp to serve. Spoon into the loaf tin, smooth the top and freeze until firm, preferably overnight.
• To serve, remove the parfait from the freezer 10 mins before serving and leave in the fridge to soften slightly. Meanwhile, slice the bananas on a slant, allowing 3 slices for each serving. Lay the slices on a baking tray set on a wooden board and scatter heavily with the sugar. Use a blowtorch to caramelise the banana, then set aside. Be very careful as the tray will be extremely hot. If you don't have a blowtorch, place the slices into a hot, dry frying pan and sear the sugar-coated sides until caramelised. Lift and flip them over to a tray.
• To plate up, sprinkle a neat line of praline just off-centre on each plate. Arrange the slices of caramelised banana at opposing angles. Unmould the parfait, then use a warmed knife to neaten the sides and cut into finger-thick slices. Lay the slice on the opposite side of the plate to the banana and serve straight away.

PEANUT BUTTER-BANANA YOGURT PARFAITS

Steps:

• Layer 3/4 cup yogurt, 1/4 cup banana chips and 1/4 cup cereal into each of 4 parfait glasses. Top with banana slices and peanuts.

BRAZIL & BANANA BREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease a 900g loaf tin, then line the base and ends with a long strip of baking parchment. Stir together 2 tbsp each of the sugar, flour, nuts and coconut. Add the butter and rub together to sticky crumbs. Set aside.
• Mash the bananas well, then stir in the sunflower oil, egg and milk. In a separate large bowl, mix half of the remaining sugar, followed by the remaining flour, nuts and coconut, then the baking powder and cinnamon.
• Whisk the egg white to stiff peaks, add the final bit of sugar and whisk again until stiff and shiny. Stir the banana mixture into the dry ingredients, then lightly fold in the egg white mixture. Gently scrape into the tin and scatter over the crumb mixture.
• Bake for 40 mins until a skewer poked in comes out clean, covering with foil if the bread starts to go too brown. Cool in the tin, then remove and thickly slice, eating with butter, if you like.