Caramelized Banana Purses With White Chocolate Sauce Food

CHOCOLATE PANCAKES WITH CARAMEL STRAWBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with two kitchen towels stacked on top of each other and place in the oven. This will keep your cooked pancakes warm.
• For the sauce: Combine the strawberries, 1/3 cup of the sugar and the salt in a bowl and toss to coat. Let stand for 10 minutes, toss again and mash half the berries with a potato masher or fork; set aside. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar with 2 tablespoons water in a medium skillet and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Continue cooking and stirring until the syrup turns medium amber in color, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the strawberry mixture (it will bubble up). When the bubbling stops, return the pan to medium heat and continue cooking, stirring often, until the sauce thickens slightly and the caramel is completely dissolved, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and pour sauce into a serving bowl; keep warm.
• For the pancakes: Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda together in a medium bowl. Whisk the milk, butter, eggs and vanilla together in another bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just incorporated (it's okay if there are some lumps). Let the batter rest for 5 minutes.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Ladle a 1/4 cup of the batter into the skillet, spreading it into a 5-inch round; repeat to make a second pancake. Cook until the pancakes are golden on the bottom and bubbly on top, about 45 seconds. Flip the pancakes and cook until the undersides are golden and batter is cooked through, about 30 seconds more. Transfer the pancakes to the baking sheet in the oven, tucking them between the kitchen towels. Repeat with the remaining batter to make more pancakes.
• When ready to serve, stack 3 pancakes on each plate, layering 1 1/2 tablespoons white chocolate between each pancake and on top (you should have 4 stacks). Serve with warm Caramel Strawberry Sauce.

BANANA CHEESECAKE WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, and melted margarine. Press into the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
• In another bowl, mix together the cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar until smooth. Blend in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and mashed banana. Pour into the prepared crust.
• Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the center is set. Cool, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
• Combine evaporated milk and caramels in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook stirring frequently until caramels are melted and the mixture is smooth. Garnish the cheesecake with banana slices, and drizzle caramel sauce over.

EASY CARAMELIZED BANANAS

Steps:

• Slice bananas into thick coins or lengthwise strips, depending on your preference.
• Pour sugar onto a plate. Roll bananas in sugar, until completely coated.
• Spray a medium size nonstick pan, and heat over medium high heat. Add bananas and sugar.
• Cook bananas until light to golden brown underneath, about 4-5 minutes (you can lift with a spatula or fork to peek). Be careful not to overcook or burn them (if you smell them browning, or see color in the pan, flip them right away). Keep in mind these times will vary, depending on your stove.
• Gently flip bananas over to brown other side, turning heat down to medium. The second side will brown in about one minute.
• Transfer to a plate that has been coated with cooking spray (otherwise they may stick - they are ooey gooey and sticky!) and serve. Alternately, slide them right onto your ice cream or breakfast food.
• Soak pan in hot water to facilitate cleaning.

CARAMELIZED BANANAS

Steps:

• chocolate-Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet. Add 2 sliced bananas and 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Cook until golden and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the bananas with cinnamon and spoon over rum raisin ice cream.
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BANANAS IN CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Stir in sugar and cook, stirring, until sugar is melted and light brown. Slowly stir in the cream (mixture will bubble up).
• Let mixture boil 1 minute, then reduce heat to low. Place the bananas in the pan and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Serve hot.

MINI CHOCOLATE CAKES WITH CARAMELIZED BANANAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a microwave, melt chocolate and butter; stir until smooth. Cool. Beat eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt on high speed until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. Sift in flour; mix just until combined. Fold in chocolate mixture., Spoon batter into 8 buttered 4-oz. ramekins dusted with cocoa. Place ramekins on a baking sheet. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 12-15 minutes. Run a small knife around sides of ramekins. Invert onto cooling rack; let stand 5 minutes. Remove ramekins; place cakes on individual plates., For bananas, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Toss banana slices with sugar until well coated; arrange in a single layer in skillet. Do not stir bananas until bottoms are golden brown, 4-5 minutes. Turn; cook until second side is golden brown, 4-5 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Place bananas on plates with cakes., For sauce, heat wine and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Whisk in chocolate. Pour over cakes.

CARAMELIZED BANANA SUNDAES

Steps:

• Peel and slice the bananas into 1/4 inch diagonal slices. Place cut bananas in a shallow dish and toss with lemon juice.
• Melt the butter and brown sugar in a heavy skillet and cook on medium high heat for one minute or until butter is melted. Stir in the bananas tossing to coat. When bananas are nicely glazed remove from heat.
• Place the chocolate chips and half-and-half in a microwave safe measuring cup. Microwave for 20 seconds, stir and microwave again for 10 to 20 seconds if needed. Stir until smooth. Add cinnamon Kahlua or Kahlua substitute.
• Place a scoop of vanilla ice cream in an ice cream dish, top with the warm bananas spooning any of the brown sugar glaze over each individual serving. Drizzle with chocolate sauce and sprinkle with toasted chopped walnuts. Garnish each with a maraschino cherries.

WHITE CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Place chocolate in small bowl. Bring cream to boil in heavy small saucepan. Pour cream over chocolate; whisk until smooth. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and chill. Before serving, rewarm in saucepan over low heat, stirring often.)

CARAMELIZED BANANA PURSES WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• For Crumble:
• Preheat oven to 300°F. Stir sugar and butter in medium saucepan over low heat until butter melts. Remove from heat. Mix in flour, nuts and salt. Spread on baking sheet. Bake until dry and golden, about 30 minutes. Cool. Break into small pieces. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)
• For Filling:
• Stir sugar, 6 tablespoons butter and lime juice in large nonstick skillet over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and stir until butter melts and mixture begins to brown around edges, about 5 minutes. Add bananas and liqueur; stir until bananas are coated with butter mixture, about 2 minutes. Transfer to large bowl and cool.
• Mix 1 cup hazelnut crumble into banana mixture. Place 1 phyllo sheet on work surface (keep remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap, then damp towel). Brush phyllo with melted butter. Fold phyllo in half crosswise, brush with butter, then fold in half again, forming square; brush with butter. Place generous 1/4 cup filling in center of phyllo square. Bring all edges of phyllo square up toward center and squeeze firmly at top, forming purse. Place on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining phyllo sheets, melted butter and filling, forming total of 10 purses. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Chill.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover phyllo purses loosely with foil. Bake until purses begin to color, about 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until phyllo is golden, about 15 minutes longer.
• Place 1 purse on each of 10 plates. Spoon 3 tablespoons warm White Chocolate Sauce around each. Sprinkle remaining hazelnut crumble over sauce.