Recipe of the week: Banana mille-feuille

There are few desserts with a pedigree as illustrious as the mille-feuille. Since the 18th century the pastry, translated as “thousand-sheets” has been adopted and adapted by many cultures. In Italy it is savory, filled with spinach, cheese or pesto. In Latin America, guava paste and coconut flakes are popular. Whatever the country – Sweden, Greece, South Africa – whatever the ingredients – seeds, chocolate, jam or whatever the name – cream slice, mille foglie, Crèmeschnitte, mille-feuille is a beloved and familiar site in any pastry shop the world over. Ingredients Sugar Coconut macaroon Eggs Corn syrup Butter Cream Coconut milk Banana Vanilla ice cream Directions For the coconut tuiles 2/3 cup sugar, 2 cups coconut macaroon, 3 eggs. Mix the sugar and the coconut together then add the eggs and combine thoroughly. At this point you can put the tuile batter in tightly sealed container and refrigerate for up to five days. To make the tuiles bring the batter to room temperature. Cut out a stencil that is 2”x5” from a milk carton, or something of about that weight. Place a Silpat directly on to the countertop and place the stencil in one corner, measure 2 teaspoon of tuile batter and spread it into the stencil with an offset spatula. Repeat until you have the desired number of tuiles (you’ll need two per order). Pick up the Silpat and place on a half sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes at 275F, turn once after seven minutes. If the tuiles are not golden brown after 15 minutes continue baking for another three to five minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Once cool remove from the Silpat with the offset spatula, they should come off very easily and set them aside. Once cool they can be kept for two or three days in the Fall, Spring or Winter and about two or three minutes in the Summer. For the caramel sauce Whisk all ingredients for the mozza together. Bring to the boil for a minute, remove from the stove and then whisk 100 gr of the freshly made ricotta into the mixture. Transfer immediately into a silicon mold and refrigerate. For the caramel sauce 1 cup sugar, 1/8 cup corn syrup, 2 oz butter (4 tablespoons), ½ cup cream. Add the sugar and corn syrup to a saucepan and caramelize over medium high heat. Once caramelized, add the butter, cook briefly until incorporated, remove from the heat and whisk in cream. Once cooled, the sauce can be held for 5 days. Gently reheat in a double boiler to serve. For the coconut crème anglaise 1 can coconut milk, 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons cream (500ml), 1/3 cup sugar, 6 egg yolks. In a saucepan combine the coconut milk and cream and reduce by 25% over low heat, 10 to 15 minutes. In a mixing bowl whisk together the egg yolks and sugar then slowly add the reduced cream and coconut mixture while still quite warm. Return the mixture to the sauce pan and cook gently over quite low heat with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the sauce has thickened a coats the back of the wooden spoon, about 5 minutes. Cool the sauce and it will keep refrigerated for 4 days. To finish 2 coconut tuiles, 1 banana sliced, 2 tablespoons coconut crème anglaise, 2 tablespoons caramel sauce, 2 tablespoons sugar in the raw vanilla ice cream. Form a piece of ice cream to the size and shape of the tuile and freeze until ready to use. Make thin slices of the banana and arrange them like scales covering one of the tuiles; it is important that no tuile shows through the banana because it will burn easily. Place the banana covered tuile on a cookie tray or other heat proof dish and sprinkle with the raw sugar and brûlée holding the torch about 6 inches away. Repeat one more time, lightly sprinkling with sugar and brûlée. On the serving plate make a design with the two sauces. Make a sandwich with the plain tuile on the bottom topped with the ice cream and the brulleed banana tuile and place in the center of the plate. Thank you to Benjamin Zwicker from Tbar Restaurant and Lounge for the recipe. If you have a recipe you would like to share with  A Luxury Travel Blog‘s readers, please contact us.