Salted Caramel Banana Tatins With Crème Fraîche Ice Cream Recipes

BANANA CREAM TART WITH SALTED CARAMEL

Steps:

• Place 1 large banana and lemon juice in food processor bowl fitted with metal blade. Cover; process until smooth. Add all remaining filling ingredients. Cover; process until smooth.
• Pour banana mixture into 2-quart heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with whisk, 7-9 minutes or just until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from heat. Pour filling into bowl. Place plastic food wrap directly onto surface of filling. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until cool.
• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Combine all crust ingredients in bowl; mix well. Press mixture firmly onto bottom and sides of 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned and set. Cool completely.
• Place chilled whipping cream and powdered sugar into chilled deep bowl; beat at high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently stir 1 1/2 cups whipped cream into cooled filling. Pour into prepared crust. Cover; refrigerate about 3 hours or until set.
• Garnish individual servings with remaining whipped cream and sliced bananas, if desired. Drizzle each serving with about 1 tablespoon warm caramel ice cream topping; sprinkle with sea salt, if desired.

BANANA-CARAMEL ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Vigorously whisk together egg yolks and 2/3 cup sugar in a medium bowl until pale yellow and slightly fluffy, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, bring milk and 2/3 cup cream to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat, and gradually whisk into egg mixture. Pour mixture into pan, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium, and cook until thick enough to coat the spatula, about 1 minute (do not let boil). Pour custard into a bowl set in a larger bowl of ice water, and let cool, stirring occasionally. Puree bananas with half the custard in a blender until smooth, and transfer to bowl with remaining custard. Stir in vanilla, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup cream until combined, and pour through a fine sieve into another bowl. Refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours but preferably overnight.
• Place water, corn syrup, and remaining sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, swirling pan occasionally (do not stir). Raise heat to high, and continue to cook in same manner until mixture turns deep amber, about 9 minutes more. Remove from heat, and slowly pour in remaining cream. Add remaining salt, and simmer caramel 1 minute. Place pan in a bowl of ice water, and let cool until warm but not hot. Remove from ice bath, and whisk in butter, a few pieces at a time, until fully incorporated.
• Place a 5-by-10-inch loaf pan (9 cups) in freezer at least 10 minutes. Freeze custard in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Spread one-third of ice cream in pan, and drizzle with one-third of caramel (it should be fluid but just barely warm; reheat slightly if necessary). Swirl caramel into ice cream with a wooden skewer. Repeat 2 more times until all the ice cream and caramel have been used. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.

SALTED CARAMEL BANANA TATINS WITH CRèME FRAîCHE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• To make the ice cream, split the vanilla pod in half lengthways and scrape out the seeds. Put the pod and seeds in a saucepan with the cream and milk, and bring slowly to the boil. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until pale. Pour the hot cream mixture over the egg and sugar, whisking continuously. Pour back into the pan, set over a gentle heat and stir with a wooden spoon. Heat gently until the custard mixture thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon, then remove from the heat.
• Pour the crème fraîche into a bowl and whisk to loosen. Slowly pour in the hot custard mixture, whisking as you go. Pour the mixture into an ice-cream machine and churn until softly frozen. Transfer to a container, then freeze for 2 hrs to firm.
• To make the Tatins, roll out the pastry on a floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin. Using the banana as a guide, cut out 2 pastry lids big enough to fit over the banana, leaving a 1cm border around the edge. Place the pastry on a baking tray and put in the fridge.
• Set an ovenproof, heavy-bottomed frying pan over a medium heat. Add the sugar, butter and cream, and cook for 5 mins until the sugar has melted and the caramel is bubbling. Add ½ tsp sea salt flakes. Slice the banana in half lengthways and place the 2 halves, cut-side down, into the caramel.
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Place a pastry lid on top of each banana half, tucking each in tightly around the edges. This can be done 1 hr ahead. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 20 mins until the pastry is risen and golden. Quickly and carefully turn out the Tatins, sprinkle with a few flakes of sea salt and serve with scoops of crème fraîche ice cream.

FRENCH TOAST WITH SALTED CARAMEL AND CREME FRAICHE

Steps:

• To make the caramel: Using a food processor, pulverize the granulated sugar into fine powder or dust. In a pot, heat the water over medium heat. As the water begins to slowly heat, carefully pour the pulverized sugar into the center of the pot, creating a mound. Do not touch or mix the sugar into the water, let it dissolve on its own. Once the sugar-water begins to boil, keep a close eye on it: in a few minutes the water will boil away and then the sugar will begin to boil. Watch closely, the second the molten sugar begins to turn a light brown or caramel color, take it off the heat and add the whipping cream and butter. Cook's Note: Careful, it will spatter. Whisk the mixture until smooth. Add a big pinch of fleur de sel and whisk to incorporate.
• To make the French toast: In a big bowl, combine the eggs, milk, vanilla bean, sugar, and sea salt. Beat these ingredients together. In a frying pan, heat the unsalted butter over medium heat. Dip the bread slices in the egg mixture, turning the bread to coat evenly. Allow the excess egg mixture to drip back into the bowl and add the bread to the hot butter. Fry the bread for about 1 minute per side, or until golden. Turn the heat down to medium low and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Repeat as necessary.
• Serve the French toast in stacks slathered with caramel and topped with a dollop of creme fraiche.