Hungry Monkey™ Bananas Foster Trifle
With a crème fraiche vanilla bean whipped cream
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Trifle bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Large pastry bags with large round tips (or gallon-sized plastic bags with corner tip cut off)
Ingredients
CUSTARD LAYER
- 4 cups whole milk
- 8 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup butter cut into small pieces
Heat the milk over low-medium heat, stirring frequently, until it just begins to simmer and steam rises from the surface.
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl (I love using a large bowl with a spout that allows me to pour easily), whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until light and smooth.
Remove the hot milk from the stove. While whisking the egg yolk mixture constantly, dribble hot milk, ONLY a few drops at a time, into the yolks. Adding the hot liquid very, very slowly, in the beginning, will temper the eggs, allowing them to warm gradually so that they don't curdle, or worse, scramble! Once you have dribbled in a good amount you can increase the amount of liquid you add at a time, whisking continuously until all the milk has been added.
Pour the contents of the mixer bowl into the saucepan and heat over medium, whisking constantly, until the mixture just comes to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, keep whisking, ensuring the milk mixture does not stick to the bottom of the pan, until thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla bean paste. Let sit for 5 minutes, then whisk in butter. The custard will be thick and smooth. Pour into a shallow bowl and let cool on rack. Once cooled, cover the top with plastic wrap so that the plastic is touching the surface of the custard. This will prevent a “skin” from forming on top. Cool in the refrigerator until chilled. Set aside until ready to use in layers.
Banana Bread Cake Layer
- 2 loaves Hungry Monkey Banana Bread (Original/plain OR Chocolate Chip), cut into 16 squares, then slice each square.
- (OR, make banana bread using recipe below)
Banana Bread Cake Layer
- 2 large ripe bananas, spotted heavily brown
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup sour cream, room temp
- 1/2 cup melted butter, cooled to room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp table salt
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
Butter & flour an 8” x 8” x 8” square pan.
Whisk flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
With a paddle attachment on a stand mixer, mix mashed bananas and sugar. Mix until incorporated. Add eggs, sour cream, melted cooled butter, and vanilla. Add flour mixture. Mix until just incorporated. Pour into a greased pan.
Bake at 350 for 40 - 45 minutes, until a toothpick in the middle comes out clean (it may take longer as every oven is different). Do not use a GLASS loaf pan; it works best with a metal pan.
Cool. Slice cake.
Bananas Foster layer
- ¼ cup butter
- ⅔ cup dark brown sugar
- 3 ½ tablespoons dark rum
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 ripe (lightly spotted) bananas, peeled and sliced lengthwise and crosswise
- ½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts (or you could substitute with pecans)
Melt butter in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, rum, vanilla, and cinnamon; bring to a low boil.
Place bananas and walnuts in the pan. Cook until bananas have softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Keep bananas foster in the refrigerator until ready to assemble the trifle. You may need to heat it up in the microwave on defrost for a few seconds; just make certain it is not warm when adding to the trifle.
Crème Fraiche Whipped Cream Layer
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 8 oz container Crème Fraiche
- 3 TBS powdered sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Bean paste (can be found in a tube or jar at the grocery store; can substitute the beans from a vanilla bean OR use 1 tsp pure vanilla extract)
Combine the heavy whipping cream and the powdered sugar in a larger mixer bowl. Beat on high for 2 minutes, or until stiff peaks form. Add the room temperature Crème Fraiche. Keep chilled in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.
Optional
- Dried Banana Chips (to toss on top)
- Fresh Banana Slices (to put in layers)
Assemble the Trifle
Save a small amount of the syrup from the bananas foster to use for decoration. Place 1/3 of the banana bread slices in the bottom of the trifle dish, placing the cut edge to the glass trifle bowl. Top the cake slices with 1/3 of the custard, and then 1/3 of the crème fraiche whipped cream, and lastly, 1/3 of the bananas foster. Add in optional fresh banana slices if using. To make nice, even lines, use a piping bag with a large round tip (or a plastic bag) for both the custard and the whipped cream. Repeat layers two more times, ending with whipped cream mixture on the top. Decorate the top with a piece of the bananas foster in the center of the trifle and also toss a few dried banana chips on top. Drizzle the bananas foster syrup across the top. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
