Banana Pudding with Salted Caramel

This may be the best thing I've ever eaten. EVER. Holy cow...

I never knew I was such a fan of banana pudding, I mean, I've always liked it but this? This has changed my life. I set out looking for a recipe to try and came across the Magnolia Bakery recipe, I was very hesitant since it uses convenience ingredients like instant pudding and sweetened condensed milk. I passed by it several times thinking I wanted to make a scratch pudding or pastry cream but eventually decided to give it a shot since so many people swear by their version. Although I'm not sure the magic of the dish is a result of these ingredients, it works and it works well. The addition of salted caramel takes this from really good to mind blowing, as in take this spoon away from me or I will eat the whole batch. I've already declared this as my birthday dessert and my birthday is over 2 months away. That's how good this is.

Banana Pudding with Salted Caramel
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1½ cups ice cold water

1 (3.4-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix (preferably Jell-O brand)

3 cups heavy cream

1-2 boxes Nabisco Nilla Wafers (depending on preference, I like a lot)

4 cups of ripe bananas, sliced

Salted Caramel Sauce

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the water and the condensed milk until well mixed, add your instant pudding and continue whisking for about 2 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill until set ( I only waited about an hour but recipe says 3-4).

Once set, whip your heavy cream to stiff peaks and gently fold in your pudding.  In the vessel(s) of your choice, layer the wafers, pudding and bananas, and caramel, making sure to end with a layer of pudding to keep bananas from being exposed to the air. Refrigerate overnight to allow cookies to soften.

Note: You can make one big dish or like I did, individual servings, this recipe makes a lot.

Adapted from Magnolia Bakery via Yumsugar

© 2012 Mostly Sweet & Sometimes Salty - All Rights Reserved.

Crepes

Dessert the other night was a spur of the moment decision and a good one at that. Crepes. Not something I've made in years and years, maybe 10-12 years ago was the last time? I don't know what lit the fire under my behind or what I was waiting for but I've got to make up for lost time. I had recently seen an episode of Mexican Made Easy, Marcella made savory cheese crepes with a poblano cream sauce (these sound great don't they? Note to self to try them soon) but I used her recipe for the crepes mainly because she mentioned the added yolk made for a sturdier crepe that was easier to deal with, I don't know if that was the key but these were super simple. Mix all ingredients in the blender, let sit and throw it in the pan, I had no trouble flipping them just loosened it with a spatula and flipped it by hand. I chose to fill some with fresh berries, Nutella and whipped cream, others with just banana slices and Nutella, both were mind blowing but the possibilities are endless.

Crepes
Yield: about 8 crepes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

3/4 cup whole milk

2 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, slightly cooled

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Place all ingredients into blender and blend until smooth. Let rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to let bubbles settle. When you're ready to make the crepes, heat a 10 inch skillet over medium high heat, spray with cooking spray and add 1/4 cup of your batter to the pan. Immediately swirl the pan to evenly distribute batter to cover bottom of the pan. Cook for 30 - 40 seconds until set and bottom is starting to brown. Loosen the edges with spatula and flip, cooking for another 30 seconds. Repeat until no batter remains. I kept the completed crepes warm on a plate in a 200 degree oven. Fill as desired.

Recipe adapted from Mexican Made Easy


©  2012 Mostly Sweet & Sometimes Salty - All Rights Reserved.

Olive & Cheese Loaf

 

 

 

Within the last month or so, I've tried a few 'no knead" bread recipes and I've had very good luck with all of them but this one is the hands down favorite. The technique is usually the same, mix together a few simple ingredients, cover and let sit overnight, punch down, let rise again and throw in a smokin' hot oven but the olives and the Gruyere put this one over the top. It's so simple and produces such a wonderful bread, crusty on the outside, moist and chewy on the inside there's really no excuse not to give it a try.

 

Olive cheese loaf
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 cups bread flour (I didn't realize I was running low so I used 2 cups bread + 1 cup APF)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1 3/4 cups cubed Gruyere
• 1 1/2 cup pitted olives, sliced ( I used Kalamata)
• 1 1/2 cups cool water

Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and yeast. Add in your Gruyere and olives and toss to combine. Stir in your water, starting with 1 1/4 cups, adding more if needed to form a wet sticky dough. Cover and let sit a room temperature for 12 hours or until dough is bubbling and has doubled in size.
Flour your work surface and turn out the dough and using a bench scrapper or spatula, fold the edges of the dough to the center.
Generously (and I mean GENEROUSLY) flour a piece of parchment paper and place dough on top, seem side down. Cover with another sheet of parchment and then a kitchen towel. Let rise at room temperature for about 2 hours until it has again doubled in size.
Place a dutch oven (handle unscrewed and removed and hole lugged with foil) into your oven and preheat to 475 degrees, allowing your pot to preheat with the oven. After 10 minutes, remove the pot from the oven and gently place your dough inside and return covered to the oven and bake for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, remove the lid and continue to bake uncover for 20-30 minutes longer, until crust is dark brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

© 2012 Mostly Sweet & Sometimes Salty - All Rights Reserved.