Bananarama Part 1: Cream Pie…!

BANANANA CREAM PIE, My-oh-my!

A friend was feeling down, so it became obvious that the ultimate comfort food was definitely required. And delicious banana cream pie it had to be, to fill all the empty spots inside up with joy.

Share, and enjoy!

The best base for any pie.

The Recipe:

1 package pre-made pie dough1 large whole egg, lightly beaten, plus 4 large egg yolks
6 to 8 medium-ripe bananas
3 cups whole milk
2/3 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375F. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to a 12-inch round, a bit less than 1/4 inch thick. Fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim crust so there’s a 1/2-inch overhang all around. Fold under overhang so it extends slightly beyond edge of pie plate. Crimp edge as desired. Prick dough all over with a fork. Brush rim of dough with beaten egg. Chill pie shell until firm, about 30 minutes.
2. Fill pie shell with pie weights, and bake until edges of crust just turn golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove pie weights. Return crust to oven, and continue baking until golden all over, 20 to 25 minutes more. Place pie shell on a wire rack to cool completely.
3. Prepare an ice bath; set aside. In a bowl, lightly whisk egg yolks; set aside. In a saucepan, whisk together milk, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Bring to a simmer (do not boil), and cook, whisking constantly, 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Whisk a quarter of hot-milk mixture into egg yolks; whisk in remaining milk mixture. Strain into a clean saucepan, and cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until custard is thick and bubbles appear in center, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl, and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto surface to prevent a skin from forming. Set in ice bath until completely chilled, 30 to 35 minutes.
5. Cut 3 or 4 bananas into slices. Beginning at the edge of the piecrust, arrange the slices in slightly overlapping rows. Cover with custard, using an offset spatula to smooth it into an even layer. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine cream and confectioners’ sugar; beat until soft peaks form. Using a small offset spatula, spread the whipped cream on top of the custard. Refrigerate pie, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
6. DEVOUR!

(From Martha Stewart!)

Handwhipping helps remove guilt too...!

Ach yes. Soother of soul, and of empty belly.

Bye Bye ‘Burgy

So it’s been a big long while since I posted, and in this way I waited for a significant moment to do a post. I have been baking a lot while living in Williamburg, but what I’ve enjoyed as much as my own creations, are the ones surrounding me in this delicious district. Almost every street corner carrier a unique scrumptious treat, and it has been so great making my way around and tasting them all! So here is a post dedicated to Williamsburg and the spectacular adventures its taken my mouth upon…. 🙂

1) ‘Ovenly’ bakery treats: chocolate stout cupcake with salted caramel frosting. Spicy bacon caramel corn.

These were perfectly small, and perfectly free at Brooklyn Winery...

2) Mast Brothers Chocolate: Brooklyn-based chocolate makers, in fantastic flavors (dairy-free!) from peppery to salty and nutty. Best with #3…

The packaging is half the joy!

3) Blue Bottle Coffe Co.: Literally around my corner is the loveliest coffee shop, with drip to cup service. The coffee is so rich and fresh you almost want 2 cups! (This has happened before…!) I will miss this place a lot, especially their cappuccino art!

Glorious leaves in delicious creamy foam

4) Unknown Deli: Ricotta with lavender honey and thyme. This was a random find, and and a great treat that I never would have put together myself!

One of the best free foods I've come across. Delicate and delicious!

5) Tater tots from Lovin’ Cup: a naughty treat, best shared with friends….!

Gotta get your tots!

“Would you like to Mince By?”

A Pile of Pies- oh my oh my!

Here are the long lost mince pies I seemed to have forgotten to post when it was actually the festive season…. but no worries- they are here now! They featured earlier crumbled in my Christmas Ice Cream, as well as in many happy bellies this year! They really were better than store bought, and were hugely fun to make! So Easy, and you can cut any shape out of pie dough to place on top…..! Using the method described below, you can really make any miniature pie, for tea parties, snack time, or just for the enjoyment that it’s mini.

For all the Americans- “mince” in terms of the British mince pie means a delicious sticky sweetness made of orange peel, raisins, spices, apple and joy. It fills many a warm pie around Xmas time, and it enjoyed by all. A mince pie is best served with vanilla ice cream, or brandy butter (my preference) or both. Brandy butter is just butter, brandy, and sugar, and is therefore a very delicious thing.

God I miss Christmas!

All the tools you need for one delicios moment after another...!

Mince Pies

1 package shortcrust pastry

1 jar mince meat (I chose cranberry brandy flavor… there are lots of varieties I feel)

1. Roll out pastry until as thick as you desire (about as thick as 1/8″ I think, though I grew up with cm!)
2. Using a circular cookie cutter or a glass, cut circles out of the dough, and arrange them in a muffin pan, pressing them in gently so they are even.
3. Fill the dough-filled nooks just about full with the mince.
4. Cut out any other shape you desire from the extra dough, and arrange on top of the mince. Press into place. Stars work nicely as they join together and form a cap…!
5. Bake until golden.
6. Serve as described about! Perhaps even invent a brandy ice cream to accompany them…

This Christmas was all about stars...!

Christmas Cream

Just lick it.

Yes, Christmas is over all around town these days, but that doesn’t mean it has to be over in your mouth!

I decided to make a Christmassy Cream, and thought of what Christmas meant to my nose, mouth and tongue (for once!) and this recipe just came over me. In England, mince pies have to be included (as what is more Christmassy!?!) and I was lucky enough to have some of my home-made ones (see previous post) which have been divine this festive season. Cinnamon was obvious too, as what do you eat in December that doesn’t have that zesty spice in it? Also Nutmeg (because of eggnog) and oranges (because these are delicious and come in your stocking if you’ve been good!)

Don’t let the festive season end, and make this:

Iced Christmas Cream

(so that Christmas will never end, in your mouth at least!)

3 cups custard

2 mince pies

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 orange’s zest

1 tbsp candied orange peel

a grating of nutmeg (approx 1 tsp)

1. Add cinnamon, zest and peel to custard and stir.
2. Crumble up mince pies and fold into the custard.
3. Freeze in an ice cream machine, or freeze and stir every hour thoroughly. And there’s your cream! Delicious with most everything!

Just think of the wonderful textures that await your mouth!

Quite the Pfeffer-nüsse!

from brown to white- much like London streets last night!

I’ve been having a bloody battle with British Cinnamon. To me, it doesn’t taste like cinnamon… it merely taste of a weak “essence of spice.” This has been hugely saddening, as SO MANY of my favorite Christmas cookies (aka ALL OF THEM) have heaps of cinnamon within, and without my favorite spice, the cookies seem flat, and like shadows of their former selves. In this way, please only attempt these spice cookies with the corrects nationality of spices (or don’t blame me for tasteless cookies!). With American Cinnamon, these are glorious spiced treats, just as the Germans makes, with a gentle bite within the soft sugary blanket. They are truly Christmas in your mouth. With British Cinnamon, they are basically molasses/treacle cookies, which are still good (!) but no Pfeffernüsse! Proceed with caution, and an “open-minded” mouth…!

little round balls patiently waiting for their snow...

Pfeffernüsse

(inspired by last weekend in Berlin!)

1 cup +2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp  freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

pinch of ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground all spice

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1/4 cup softened butter

1/4 cup + 2 tbsp light brown sugar

2 tbsp  black treacle/molasses

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup powdered sugar (for topping!)

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F
2. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and all the spices, and set it aside.
3. In another larger bowl, beat the sugar, butter and treacle together with an electric whisk until smooth.
4. Add the eggs, lemon zest and vanilla extract and beat again.
5. Fold the flour/spice mixture into the wet mix until completely combined.
6. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Form the cookie dough about 2 inches apart in little balls. Bake for about 15-20 minutes.
7. Allow cookies to cool, then shake each cookie in a bag of powdered sugar until completely coated. Enjoy these snow-capped treasures!

the xmas cookie spread in all stages of production.. so many more to come!

Tom’s Magical Ginger Cookies

hello there old friends

These cookies are legendary. They have caused riots. They have caused lunacy. But most of all, they have caused extreme delicious satisfaction; so this week (the ultimate week of the year for baking spiced Christmassy creations!) I looked to this much-favored cookie for those sought-after tender mouthfuls of spiced joy everyone craves in the festive season. They really are the epitome of moreishness, and I cannot wait for you to get on this ginger bandwagon.

the sugar makes them sparkle, making them even more magical!

Tom’s Great-Grandmother’s Ginger Cookies

(to Tom!)

2 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup molasses

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. In a large bowl (not the one you’ll end up mixing in), add flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger and ground cloves. Set these aside for later.
3. In your mixing bowl, mix sugar, canola oil and molasses.
4. Add one egg.
5. Fold in the dry ingredients in 3 parts to the wet ingredients and keep mixing.
6. Pull off small dough balls and roll in sugar before putting on cookie sheet.  Leave a couple inches of room between cookies as they’ll expand a bit
7. Bake at 375F for ~7 minutes, or until cracks have formed across the top of the cookies. Be careful with HOT ovens!! These are sensitive cookies!! Let them cool on the cookie sheet, but move them with a spatula a bit so they don’t stick.
8. Share! Enjoy! Rejoice!

trays and trays of joy!

The Only thing for Apple Pie

 

autumn flavors on an autumn plate

It’s getting colder (shiver shiver) so you would have thought that I’d lighten up on the ice cream. But alas, who knew that it’d be the ultimate companion for all hot wintry puds.

 

a symphony of pies!

When Thanksgiving was upon us this year – and upon us it was, with twenty-four hungry mouths to feed – I knew that I had to step it up a notch, to tie all the various pies, tastes and textures together. Funnily enough, the surprise I prepared had almost identical ingredients to classic pumpkin pie, so I knew it’d be a flavor match there. Pecan pie goes with most anything (as it is such a easy-going, delicious friend,) so the only question was how would it hold hands with the showstopper- the luscious apple pie. Served warm, with the subtle essence of almond and topped with a heavenly sweet crumble, this pie has long been in my family, and I just couldn’t let it down. Last year I made cinnamon ice cream, but this year, I felt a few more layers and spices might be interesting, and OH YES they were… When the spiced cream warmed and pooled around the pie, it was as if  the pie swam in a lake of joy, for once at peace on my plate, as well as in my mouth. Try it- and maybe one day I’ll share the pie  recipe with you…

Gingerbread Ice Cream

(inspired by autumnal spices everywhere)

1 pint Vanilla Custard

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground clove

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons molasses

1. Warm half the custard with the spices, sugar and molasses until the sugars have melted and it’s well mixed.
2. Allow to cool, then mix in the rest of the custard.
3. Churn in an ice cream machine, or freeze and stir thoroughly every few hours.
4. Serve with hot apple pie and enjoy!

Those spiced melty juices were the best part...

Chocolate Creamy Lusciousness, with a Twist of Spice

Oh yes. Here's hot...soon it'll be oh-so-cold...

I’ve never understood vanilla ice cream. Every sane person’s favorite flavor is chocolate, which is mostly true for me (though cinnamon is right up their too…!) and this is why it is strange that I have not yet created my own icy chocolate treat! In this way, I took it upon myself to start from scratch. No recipe, just my brain, my mouth, and a few basic ingredients. It really is simple (3 steps: melting, mixing and freezing) and it really is obscenely scrummy. This is a dark dark chocolate cream, so I cut it with cinnamon to give the flavor more dimensions (and I have a huge soft spot for Mexican Chocolate).

You definitely want this in your freezer.

You could've licked this bowl clean, but ICY COLD is the best temperature for this spicy HOT treat!

Mexican Chocolate Cream (Iced)

(Inspired by Chocolate being better than Vanilla…)

11 oz dark chocolate
500g custard
1 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp cocoa powder
1 tsp cinnamon

1. Melt the chocolate gently, with a spoonful of the custard and the milk. Stir until smooth and creamy. Allow to cool for 10 mins.
2. Add melted chocolate to custard, cinnamon and cocoa powder and mix until smooth as silk. Add more cinnamon to taste.
3. Freeze in an ice cream machine, or freeze and stir every couple of hours.
4. Wow. Enjoy with hot pumpkin bread, or any light dish that needs a hint of exotic darkness…

Serving suggestion here is more than a suggestion- it's a demand. Get it on that pumpkin bread!

Love me Tender

There just haven’t been enough Kittens on My Kittenchen, and I’m going to change that, starting now:

thank you Alexa and Nunu for this tender moment...

 

 

The Holy Divinity of Spice Bread

toasty spiced goodess of my favorite orange loaf

Like a good college graduate, I’ve been missing college this past week, especially certain eating places that had been on campus. In this way,  I have been trying to recreate all the dishes I’ve missed (though some are quite silly, including grilled cheese and tomato soup, milkshakes and egg sandwiches.) Here, though, is one that was really missing from my soul. All year round, the glorious Refectory (in our Divinity School) would offer pumpkin bread, be it the depths of winter or the heat of summer. It makes me sad when such a scrumptious squash is season-limited, although when it is pumpkin season aka in the run up to Thanksgiving, it does always taste a little better 🙂 Therefore, I felt no guilt in re-creating my most favorite Duke Dish- chocolate chip pumpkin bread. And yes, it did taste just as good as the real thing, perhaps even better as it was HOT. This recipe is certainly moist, with a nice bounce that I love in a good pumpkin bread. I added walnuts as walnuts are a fabulous bite to have in a spice bread; I added chocolate chips as the Refectory does too, and what such a holy establishment does I feel that I am allowed to emulate in all ways…

Spice-filled joy awaits you!

Spiced Pumpkin Bread

(Makes two loaves- inspired by Bon Appetit!)

3 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable/sunflower oil

3 large eggs

1 16oz can pumpkin

3  cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Line or grease/flour two bread pans.
2. Beat sugar and oil together in a large bowl. Add eggs and pumpkin, stirring until smooth and orange all the way through.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt, baking powder.
4. Stir flour mixture into the lovely pumpkin mix in 3 additions.
5. Stir in walnuts and chocolate chips.
6. Divide batter between the two bread pans and bake for about 1hr, or until tester inserted into center comes out clean.
7. Smell the gorgeous spicy sweetness in your kitchen.
8. Turn loaves out onto cooling racks and eat while still hot. Yes, yes that is good….! Try with Mexican Chocolate ice cream (recipe to follow) for a REAL treat!

the Spice of the Bread and the subtle Spice of the chocolate cream are so beautiful in your mouth. Promise!