Roasted Banana Pudding

My daughter's best friend is bananas for bananas so I was eager to give this recipe from The Complete Cook's Country TV Show Cookbook a try.  It's amazing how much roasting the bananas intensifies their flavor.  The original recipe is assembled in a trifle bowl, but I simplified the presentation by serving mine in mini glass pie plates.  The pudding can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in the fridge if wrapped well with plastic wrap, which should touch the surface of the pudding.  Just before serving, garnish with vanilla wafers and freshly whipped cream that's been lightly sweetened with sugar and pure vanilla extract.  You might also garnish with a few slices of banana.  Banana chips might be a nice addition.

Note: Use slightly underripe bananas for this recipe.  

If you have overripe bananas to use, check out the recipe for my  To Die For Banana Cake with Vanilla Bean Frosting.

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• mini pie plates https://amzn.to/33U4nHX

• half sheet pan https://amzn.to/3nZ4jgX

• heavy bottom saucepan https://amzn.to/3NvO6LG

• pure vanilla extract https://amzn.to/3zGWYZ7

• my food processor https://amzn.to/3Dv4Eid

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Roasted Banana Pudding

makes 12 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 slightly underripe medium bananas (about 1 pound)

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided

• 8 large egg yolks

• 6 tablespoons cornstarch

• 6 cups half-and-half

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• Garnish: vanilla wafers, whipped cream, and sliced bananas

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325F.

2. Roast bananas on a lined half sheet pan for about 20 minutes (the skins will turn completely black).

3. In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar with the egg yolks and cornstarch until smooth; set aside.

4. In a heavy-bottom saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the half-and-half, remaining sugar, and salt to a simmer.

5. Whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot half-and-half mixture into the egg yolk mixture; whisk well to combine.

6. Pour the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan to combine with the remaining half-and-half mixture.

7. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens and starts to bubble.

8. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and lemon juice.

9. Pour thickened pudding base into a large food processor and add the peeled roasted bananas; process until smooth.

10. Pour mixture into individual serving dishes and cover with plastic wrap being sure wrap touches pudding surface.

11. Chill completely before serving.

adapted from The Complete Cook's Country TV Show Cookbook

Strawberry Gelato

Remember the Vanilla Roasted Strawberries I made a few weeks ago?  The ones I said tasted like strawberries on steroids?  Well, I used them to make Roasted Strawberry Gelato which turned out absolutely Delizioso.  I hope you'll give both recipes a try.

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• food processor https://amzn.to/2zlX2Bh

• ice cream maker https://amzn.to/2LevtMV

• ice cream storage container https://amzn.to/2WA7bSU

• my favorite ice cream scoop https://amzn.to/35Opqs6

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Roasted Strawberry Gelato

makes 1 quart

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ cups whole milk

• ¾ cup heavy cream

• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

• Pinch of salt

• 1 egg yolk

• 1 cup Vanilla Roasted Strawberries

Directions

1. Place the roasted strawberries in a food processor or blender and grind them as fine or as lumpy as you like; set aside.

2. Put 1 1/4 cups of milk, cream, and vanilla bean into a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat over medium heat until bubbles appear around the edge of the pan, just before the mixture is about to boil.

3. Put the remaining 1 cup of milk, cornstarch and salt into a small bowl and stir until well combined.

4. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in cornstarch mixture.

5. Return to heat and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens slightly (8-10 minutes); remove from heat.

6. Put egg yolk into a medium bowl and slowly whisk 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolk, whisking constantly, then gradually add mixture back into the hot milk in the saucepan.

7. Stir in strawberries and refrigerate mixture in an airtight container for 4-48 hours.

8. Process in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions (the Breville Smart Scoop rocks!).

9. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze. Allow to sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.