Corollary: Banana Pudding

Just in case you can't get enough pudding, here's an easy recipe for the banana variety, and actually, just plain vanilla--if you omit the bananas and vanilla wafers at the end. But why in the world would you do that?

Banana Pudding

serves two; ready in 4 hours or the next day

1 1/4 cups milk

1/3 cup sugar

2 egg yolks

2 Tbsp cornstarch

pinch salt

1 Tbsp butter

1 tsp vanilla

1 large banana

about 10 vanilla wafers

1. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and sugar over medium, whisking occasionally until scalded but not boiling--you just start to see tiny bubbles around the rim of the pan.
2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and cornstarch. When the milk is ready, pour a very little bit at a time into the yolks and whisk whisk whisk until incorporated. When all of the milk is added, return mixture to the pot and heat until almost boiling, using a spatula to stir. Constantly. It will get thick, trust me.
3. Meanwhile, in another bowl, slice your banana and break up the nilla wafers into big chunks. Pour thickened pudding over bananas and wafers, and stir to get them mixed throughout.
4. Let cool on the counter to room temp, then cover and place in the fridge. Chill for a couple of hours, preferably overnight to let the flavors meld.

Peanut Butter Banana Cake (and Crap-that-was-easy Vanilla Gelato)

Phew. It is cake week here in the Love-Smith house. I think I'm making up for not having baked anything in, like, a whole week by going all out. Last night, Irish car bomb cake....tonight, Elvis.

I believe I have mentioned before my deep, abiding love for peanut butter -- particularly in conjunction with bananas. Understanding that too much of this treat might leave me squeezed into an ill-fitting sequined unisuit, I thought a miniature sweet might be just the ticket.

Soooo...I took a banana cake recipe from Epicurious, threw in some chocolate chips, then topped it off with Ina Garten's p.b. icing. All divided by 17. Here's how it works:

Peanut Butter Banana Cake

(serves 2-3; start to finish, about an hour)

for the cake:

1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp cake flour

1/8 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp baking powder

pinch salt

1/4 cup mashed banana

1 Tbsp buttermilk

1/4 tsp vanilla

1/2 beaten egg or 2 Tbsp egg sub

2 Tbsp butter

1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp sugar

1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)

for the icing:

1 Tbsp butter

1/4 cup peanut butter (preferably natural)

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla

1 Tbsp milk

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Grease and flour a small pan (5-inch round worked well for me; 4-6 inch square would work too). In a small bowl combine flour through salt. In another small bowl, mix banana, buttermilk and vanilla.
2. With a mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add egg and beat well. Add remaining ingredients, alternating between dry and wet mixtures. Pour into prepared pan and sprinkle chocolate chips over top, if using. Bake until cake begins to color and toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool completely.
3. Meanwhile, beat butter, p.b., sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl until combined. Add milk and beat until smooth and fluffy.
4. If your cake is on the thinner side, slice in half and make a tiny layer cake by spreading icing on middle and top (I didn't have enough for the sides, but if I had it may have been too much). If your cake is thick, just frost top and sides. Ta-dow!

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Crap-that-was-easy Vanilla Gelato

Wanting something cool and smooth to cut the taste of the sure-to-be-rich cake, I scoured the net for a quick ice cream recipe that might just rely on that can of sweetened condensed milk I was stowing in my cabinet -- which would also cut out the time and patience that a custard ice cream would require. Based on my fridge and the various recipes I could cobble together, here's the quite successful result:

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (I used low fat)

1 cup light cream or half and half (fat free would be fine)

1 1/2 cups milk

1 tsp vanilla

Whisk it all together and throw it in your ice cream maker. So far (I started this whole process about 3 hours ago), the gelato is still soft-serve style, but I think a night in the freezer will firm it up good. Oh, and in case you're wondering, I'm calling it gelato because it relies on more milk and less cream, which is basically the difference between the Italian frozen treat and our American version (that, and a slower "churning" process which results in a denser, often richer-tasting product). This also means that, because of its make-up, gelato is better at warmer temperatures than ice cream. So, when it does firm up in your freezer, be sure to take it out 15-20 minutes before you plan to enjoy it, and stir it up good before serving.

Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie

Oh yeah, you read that right. It's banana cream pie -- but perfected by the addition of perhaps my favorite food of all time, peanut butter. So many reasons to get carried away here: the salty ... the sweet ... the peanut butter and banana sandwich I ate almost every day for lunch in high school ... the opportunity to share something in common with Elvis ... pie ...

This recipe leapt from the pages of Bon Appetit's grievously caloric spread on "Diner Desserts" and grabbed me by the tastebuds (every one of them). Knowing how much I was sure to love it, and also painfully aware of my nonexistent will power, I took to downsizing immediately.

With every bite of this delicious dessert, David and I marveled at how perfect it was. The crust is sweet and crunchy like toffee; the vanilla pudding is perfectly balanced; and the final layer is like eating peanut butter-flavored air. Fluffy, delicious, peanutbuttery air. May just have to make it again tomorrow.

Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie

(Serves 2; total prep/cook/cool time, about 2 hours)

Vanilla Wafer Crust

1 1/2 oz vanilla wafers (about 8)

1 1/2 Tbsp butter

1/2 Tbsp sugar

Vanilla Pudding Layer

1 1/2 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp cornstarch

pinch salt

1/4 c heavy cream

2 Tbsp whole milk

1/2 egg yolk

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp butter

1 banana

lemon or orange juice (just for tossing banana)

Peanut Butter Layer

3/4 oz cream cheese, room temp

2 Tbsp powdered sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter

3 Tbsp heavy cream

1. For the crust, either throw everything in the food processor and blend until uniform or smash wafers and sugar in a ziplock bag until fine, then melt the butter and stir together. Press into 2 individual tart pans, large muffin tins, or a mini pie plate. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes. Cool.
2. For the pudding, in a small saucepan whisk together sugar, cornstarch and salt. Add dairy and yolk and mix all very well. [Sorry about the yolk, there's no shortcut around this, you need the egg to thicken the pudding. Just crack an egg over a dish to catch the white and then split the yolk in half. Have the white-and-half-yolk for breakfast tomorrow.] Over medium heat, cook the mixture--stirring constantly--until it boils and thickens, about 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in vanilla and divide between cooled crusts. Chill 30 min - 1 hr (until set).
3. Take the banana and slice it thin, about 1/4-inch slices. Toss in orange or lemon juice to prevent browning. Once the pudding is set, lay out bananas over surface, reserving a few for garnish, if you want.
4. For the peanut butter layer, blend cream cheese and powdered sugar until well mixed. Add vanilla and peanut butter and blend some more. In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream until it holds firm peaks. Fold it into the peanut butter mixture, a little at a time, being very gentle. Spread over banana layer and return to fridge for another hour or two, until fully chilled and set up.
5. Garnish with reserved bananas and eat, eat, eat.

As usual, some notes....

I used individual miniature tart pans, but maybe you'd rather use muffin/cupcake tins. The only way this pie could have been improved is if I had made them deep rather than wide. The tins might be tricky when it comes time to extricate, though. Also, you could probably get away with less-than-full-fat milks in the pudding, but you may want to up the cornstarch if you do.

Crazy Good Frozen Banana Bites

What? I know what you're thinking. Something this adorable could not also be easy and cheap. But oh, ho it is. And also? Impossible not to eat. David and I popped them like tater tots. Here's what you need to make this happen in your mouth soon: 

Frozen Banana Bites

1 banana

1/2 cup chocolate chips or other fine, dark chocolate, chopped

1 Tbsp cream, half and half, or milk

1-2 tsp corn syrup (optional, helps with consistency in my opinion)

Toppings of your delight--I used toasted coconut and chopped cashews

First, slice the banana in 1-inch slices. Lay them on a little plate and stick them in the freezer for at least 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate chips, dairy product of your choice, and corn syrup in a microwave-safe bowl. Start at about 30 seconds, then take it out and check it. Keep going at 15-second intervals until you can stir it smooth. 

Once the naners have a nice chill, take them out and, working quickly, dunk each in the chocolate, coating well--a skewer and/or a fork are both helpful here--then roll in your topping. The bananas will likely have a cooling effect on the chocolate. If it starts to get gloopy, then one of two things is happening (or possibly both): your bananas are too warm or your chocolate is too cool. Return the chocolate to the microwave for 10 seconds and see if that helps. If not, freeze your bananas a little longer. 

Place the adorable little banana bites back on the tray and, if you can wait, let them freeze at least 3 hours. Make them in the afternoon, then forget about them until after dinner. Oh I'm so sad they're gone. Really.