Chocolate Salted Caramel Banana Mess Food

SALTED CARAMEL BANANA MACARONS

Steps:

• Cook's Notes: You don't need to go out and purchase older egg whites, you can simply used the eggs that you've had in the refrigerator for the last 4 or 5 days. After you separate the eggs, make sure you allow the egg whites to come to room temperature before whipping. Room temperature egg whites whip better and faster if at room temperature.
• For the meringue cookies: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Prep 2 half sheet pans with parchment or silicone baking mats.
• Sift together your almond meal and powdered sugar and set aside.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer, or with an electric hand mixer, beat the egg whites on low speed until foamy. Begin sprinkling in the meringue powder as you beat. Then increase the speed to medium and beat until soft peaks form. If adding food coloring at the point, you can divide the meringue, add to a separate bowl and dye as desired (see Cook's Note, below). Beat to combine. When you get to soft peaks (the peaks will curl when the whisk is lifted from the mixture), carefully proceed; you want firm glossy peaks in your meringue, you do not want to beat all the way to stiff peaks (peaks stand up straight when a whisk is lifted from the mixture).
• Add a third of the almond mixture, folding it in gently. Once combined, add the remaining almond flour in 2 batches. Be very, very gentle! Make sure to fully incorporate all your ingredients, but do not over-fold.
• Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a plain 1/2-inch tip. (You can also use a ziptop bag with a corner cut off.) It's way easier to fill your bag if you stand it up in a tall glass and fold the top down before spooning in the batter.
• Pipe 1-inch mounds of batter onto the prepared sheet pans. Using a wet fingertip, tap the mounds to a smooth tip. Alternately, pick up the pan with both hands, and holding it level, tap it firmly onto the counter several times. Allow any residual water to dry out. Sprinkle each cookie with fleur de sel. Allow the cookies to rest 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the humidity.
• Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes, 1 sheet at a time. Let the cookies cool.
• For the filling: In a heavy bottomed saucepan set over medium-high heat, combine the sugar and 2 tablespoons water. Slowly let the sugar melt and turn into caramel (do not stir). Carefully add the butter and heavy cream and stand back as it will release a lot of steam. Stir until everything is fully incorporated. Add the fleur de sel.
• In a small bowl, mash the ripe banana with a fork. Once the caramel has cooled, add it to the mashed banana. Spread the mixture on the cookies, making sandwiches. Place in the refrigerator and allow to mature for at least 24 hours.

SALTED CHOCOLATE BANANA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg until well combined.
• Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and cream together until fully combined. Add the bananas and mix for about a minute to smash the bananas thoroughly. Add the sour cream, eggs and vanilla and, you guessed it, mix. Finally, add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Tip: Do not overmix the batter, as it can make the crumb tough and result in large "worm" holes.
• Melt the chopped chocolate over a double boiler or microwave it in a glass or plastic bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring between intervals so the chocolate does not burn. Allow the chocolate to cool slightly. In a medium bowl, mix 1 cup of the batter with the chocolate until well combined.
• Pour the banana batter into the prepared pan. Pour the chocolate batter in the center of the batter and swirl throughout the batter with a spoon to create the marbling effect. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes (okay, maybe one crumb. Or two).
• Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer it from the pan to a cooling rack to continue cooling to room temperature, and you're done! Slice, sprinkle with flaked sea salt and a touch of chili powder. Boom. Banana chocolate deliciousness.

SALTED CARAMEL BANANA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a bowl.
• Beat 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup brown sugar together in a bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until combined. Beat bananas and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract into butter mixture. Gradually add flour mixture, beating on low speed, just until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Run knife around edges of bread and transfer to a wire rack.
• Heat 1/4 cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, until sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Stir cream into brown sugar mixture and remove saucepan from heat. Stir 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt into cream mixture until glaze is smooth. Drizzle glaze over loaf.