Grand Marnier Banana Napoleons Recipes

Steps:

• Cover a baking sheet with plastic wrap or foil. Using a serrated knife, cut ice cream package in half lengthwise through the cardboard. Wrap one half in plastic wrap and freeze for another use. Halve the remaining piece lengthwise. Flip the ice cream, with the 2 pieces still together, so the cut side is up, and cut it crosswise into 4 equal sections - you'll have 8 pieces of ice cream.
• Place a crepe on the work surface and place a piece of ice cream in the center. Fold the crepe over the ice cream to enclose completely. Place the filled crepes on the prepared baking sheet. Continue with the remaining ice cream and crepes and freeze until just firm. (This recipe can be prepared up to this point 1 day in advance. Wrap carefully in plastic wrap before freezing. Allow to soften slightly before proceeding.)
• Peel and slice the bananas on a sharp angle into 2-inch pieces. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice and cook, stirring, until smooth and just at a simmer, about 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and add orange liqueur. Return skillet to high heat and stir until smooth. Carefully fold in bananas. Remove the skillet from heat and add the rum. Return the skillet to the heat, and shake the pan back and forth to warm the rum and coat the bananas. (If working over a gas flame the sauce may ignite; continue to cook until the flames subsides.)
• To serve, place 2 filled crepes on a plate crisscrossing each other and spoon banana mixture over the top. Garnish with sifted confectioners' sugar and a sprig of mint, if desired.
• Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together in a bowl. Gradually whisk in the milk, water, eggs and vanilla extract, and continue whisking until smooth. (The batter can be made to this point a day ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before adding the butter.) Stir in the butter. Set aside for at least 30 minutes to rest. (The crepe batter may be made in a food processor blender: Pulse the dry ingredients, then add the wet, process until smooth, and then stir in the butter.) Pour the batter into measuring cup with a spout.
• Have a plate near the stove to stack the cooked crepes, or 4 plates, if you plan to serve the crepes immediately. Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat until a drop of water bounces and sizzles briefly around the pan before evaporating. Pour a scant 1/4 cup of batter into the skillet and quickly swirl it to coat the pan evenly. Cook until the batter sets, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. The crepe will blister in the middle, and the edges will look dry and slightly crispy. Using your fingers or a spatula, carefully pick the crepe up by its edges and flip it over to cook the other side, about 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat with the rest of the batter, stacking the crepes on the plate as you go.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the puff pastry on parchment lined baking sheets, 1/2-inch apart. Place parchment on top of the dough and then on a wire rack or baking sheet on top. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. (If you are using a baking sheet on top, you will have to remove the baking sheet to see if the puff is done.) Cool to room temperature. Slice each piece of puff pastry in 1/2 horizontally along the 4-inch side.
• Whisk the cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and rum in a large bowl until soft peaks form.
• Slice the bananas 1/2-inch thick on a bias. Place them in a bowl and mix in the lime and orange juices.
• Place some bananas and a little rum cream on each of 6 plates. Place a piece of puff pastry on top. Place the remaining bananas and rum cream on the puff. Drizzle warm caramel sauce over and around the bananas. Top with a second piece of puff. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Pre heat oven ot 375 degrees Arrange the puff pastry, pricked well on a large baking sheet. Cover heavy baking sheets and bake in oven for 49 to 50 minutes until golden brown. Cut pastry, while still warm, into twelve 3 inch squares. In a teflon pan cook 1/3 cup of the sugar, swirling the pan, over moderate heat until it is a deep caramel color. Add the almonds and pour the mixture into a lightly oiled pan. When the mixture is cool, chop fine. In a saucepan, scald the milk with the remaining sugar. In a bowl whisk together the yolks, the rind, a pinch of salt, and the cornstarch. Whisk in the milk and boil the mixture, whisking constantly, for 2 minutes. Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl, stir in the grand marnier and chill it covered. Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks and fold 1/2 of it into the pastry cream. To make each napoleon, alternate 2 layers of pastry with thinly sliced banana, pastry cream, and praline, top the second layer with a pastry square and decorate the top with confectioners sugar the remaining whipped cream, the orange slices and the mint.

Steps:

• BROWN-SUGAR BUTTER: In a small bowl, combine butter and brown sugar with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add cream, and whisk until creamy and well combined.
• CANDIED NUTS: (Make first): Combine nuts and maple syrup in small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and continue to cook until syrup begins to coat nuts, about 30 minutes. In a medium saucepan, heat canola oil to 350°F Strain nuts to remove any excess syrup. Transfer to a baking sheet to cool. Fry nuts until crispy and any excess caramel is removed. Remove to a baking sheet lined with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper. Let cool.
• WAFFLES:.
• Heat a Belgian-style waffle iron(any kind of waffle iron will do).
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs until smooth.
• The batter will be thick.
• Spray waffle iron with cooking spray.
• Ladle about 1/4 cup batter into each section of the waffle grid; spread batter almost to the edges.
• Close lid; bake 3 minutes, until no steam emerges from waffle iron.
• Transfer cooked waffles to a baking sheet; place in an oven set to low heat, about 200°, while using the remaining batter.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons brown-sugar butter.
• Add bananas, and sauté until softened and golden brown, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
• Add nuts.
• Remove skillet from heat, carefully add Grand Marnier or any of the other choices, and ignite. (optional but worth the effort).
• Allow alcohol to burn off.
• Continue to sauté until bananas and nuts are well coated.
• Split waffles in half.
• Place a half on each of two plates.
• Spoon one-quarter of the banana mixture over each waffle half.
• Top with remaining waffle halves.
• Spoon another one-quarter of the banana mixture over waffles.
• Dust each with confectioners' sugar and then drizzle with chocolate.
• Happy Valentine's Day!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place puff pastry rectangles on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden and puffed, 15 minutes. Remove and let cool on a wire rack. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream and sugar on high until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.
• With a serrated knife, cut rectangles in half horizontally. Reserve 4 tops. Divide banana slices among 4 pastry bottoms, then drizzle with dulce de leche. Use 2 pastry bottoms and 2 pastry tops to make middle layers. Layer with whipped cream and coconut, then top with reserved pastry tops. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• In a 10-inch skillet over low heat melt butter, add maple syrup and stir in cinnamon and nutmeg to butter. Bring to a simmer, add bananas, allow to cook for about 1 minute on either side, spooning sauce over the bananas. Remove bananas and place in a s3erving dish. Bring skillet to a simmer and add Grand Marnier to butter-syrup mixture. If the pan is hot enough the alcohol will flame on its own; if not, using a stick flame, carefully ignite and continue cooking until flame dies out. Stir in zest. Place scoop of ice cream in a martini glass with bananas; top with sauce and zest

Steps:

• Combine 1 cup sugar, 6 tablespoons water and lemon juice in heavy small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup turns deep amber, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling occasionally, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Carefully add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Stir until mixture is smooth. Transfer caramel to small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until thick, about 3 hours.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 2 heavy large baking sheets with parchment paper, roll out pastry on lightly floured surface to 15x12-inch rectangle. Cut crosswise into three 12x5-inch strips. Transfer pastry strips to prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly. Chill 10 minutes.
• Pierce pastry with fork. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to racks; cool. (Caramel and pastry can be made 2 days ahead. Keep caramel refrigerated. Wrap pastry in foil; store at room temperature.)
• Set aside 1/2 cup caramel for decoration. Using electric mixer, beat mascarpone and 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl until smooth. Add remaining caramel and beat until caramel cream is well blended, about 1 minute.
• Trim pastry layers so that they are flat and even. Place 1 pastry strip on work surface. Spread with 1/4 of caramel cream. Arrange half of banana slices in single layer over caramel cream. Spread second pastry strip with 1/4 of caramel cream; place pastry, caramel cream side down, atop bananas. Spread top of second pastry strip with 1/4 of caramel cream. Arrange remaining bananas in single layer over. Spread remaining pastry strip with remaining caramel cream. Place pastry, caramel cream side down, atop bananas. Using serrated knife, cut pastry crosswise into 8 equal pieces. Sift powdered sugar over. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Tent with foil; refrigerate.)
• Place napoleons on plates. Drizzle reserved caramel around napoleons.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F.
• Cut pastry sheet crosswise into 3 rectangles. Roll or stretch each rectangle into 14x3-1/2-inch rectangle. Place, 2 inches apart, on parchment-covered baking sheet. Sprinkle 1 rectangle with granulated sugar and nuts. Cover all rectangles with second sheet of parchment; top with second baking sheet.
• Bake 15 min., using oven mitt to carefully press down top baking sheet after 8 min. to flatten pastries. Remove top baking sheet and top parchment sheet. Reduce oven temperature to 375ºF. Bake pastry 8 to 10 min. or until golden brown. Cool completely.
• Meanwhile, mix sour cream and powdered sugar in medium bowl until blended. Gently stir in half the COOL WHIP. Microwave 3 oz. chocolate and remaining COOL WHIP in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min.; stir until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended. Cool.
• Slice bananas. Spread half the chocolate mixture onto 1 plain pastry rectangle on serving plate; top with half each of the bananas and sour cream mixture. Repeat layers. Cover with nut-topped pastry, nut side up. Melt remaining chocolate; drizzle over dessert.

Steps:

• Heat a Belgian-style waffle iron. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs until smooth. The batter will be thick.
• Spray waffle iron with cooking spray. Ladle about 1/4 cup batter into each section of the waffle grid; spread batter almost to the edges. Close lid; bake 3 minutes, until no steam emerges from waffle iron.
• Transfer cooked waffles to a baking sheet; place in an oven set to low heat, about 200 degrees, while using the remaining batter.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons brown-sugar butter. Add bananas, and saute until softened and golden brown, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Add nuts. Remove skillet from heat, carefully add Grand Marnier, and ignite. Allow alcohol to burn off. Continue to saute until bananas and nuts are well coated.
• Split waffles in half. Place a half on each of two plates. Spoon one-quarter of the banana mixture over each waffle half. Top with remaining waffle halves. Spoon another one-quarter of the banana mixture over waffles. Dust each with confectioners' sugar and then drizzle with chocolate.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 cold pastry sheet to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut six 4 ½ - 5 inch circles (I used a pint-size plastic container with a 4 ½ inch diameter and the circles shrank to a 3 ½ inch diameter).
• Gently transfer cut pastry circles onto parchment lined baking sheet & brush with an egg wash of 1 egg mixed with 1 tbsp water.
• Bake until pastry circles are light golden brown (approx 10 min, but watch as cooking times may vary).
• Remove from oven, allow to cool, gently transfer circles to an airtight storage container and set aside.
• Place crushed pineapple and chopped orange segments in a fine sieve and allow to drain of liquid until you see no continued active dripping. Transfer mixture to a bowl, add 1 tbsp Grand Mariner, mix well and refrigerate 1 hour to allow flavors to blend.
• Return fruit mixture to fine sieve and press with the flat of a large spoon to remove all liquid. Discard or reserve liquid for another use.
• Combine the softened Mascarpone cheese with the light brown sugar, coconut milk, 1 tbsp Grand Marnier, pineapple/orange mixture and 2 oz coconut. Refrigerate until ready to assemble desserts.
• To Assemble Desserts:.
• Split each of the 6 pastry circles in half as evenly as possible using a sharp knife. Using a pastry brush, brush the inside surface of 6 circles and the top surface of the other 6 circles with the remaining 2 tbsp of Grand Marnier.
• Gently spread blended cheese mixture over 8 of the pastry circles, stack them in groups of 2 and top with 4 of the browned circles.
• Garnish the top circle of each dessert with the orange zest and remaining 2 oz of coconut. (May also top with a dollop of any excess cheese mixture and then garnish with the orange zest & coconut) Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Place the bananas, 1/3 cup chocolate chips, clove, cinnamon, and vanilla into a mixing bowl, and mash until evenly blended. Alternatively, chop the mixture in a food processor until the chocolate chips have been reduced in size. This will help prevent the chips from poking through the wonton skins as you handle them. It will also change the texture of the filling - you will not have pockets of melted chocolate in the wontons.
• To make the wontons: Separate and place the wonton wrappers onto your work surface. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the banana filling onto the center of each wrapper. Use your finger or a pastry brush to lightly moisten the edges of the wonton wrappers with water. Fold one corner of the wrapper over the filling onto the opposite corner to form a triangle. Press the edges together to seal. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
• Prepare the sauce by combining the butter, brown sugar, orange liqueur, and corn syrup in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, and cook until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce is smooth, about 4 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Fry the wontons in the hot oil a few at a time until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Turn the wontons over halfway through cooking so they brown evenly. Remove, and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Serve warm with the caramel sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons chocolate chips to garnish.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Combine pudding mix and cold milk; fold in whipped topping. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Unfold pastry on a cool, lightly floured surface. Cut into 3 strips along fold marks, then cut each strip into four equal pieces. Place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet.
• Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheet, and cool.
• Split pastries into 2 layers, setting the 8 best looking tops aside. Spread 8 bottom layers with dollops of the pudding mixture. Top each with a layer of strawberries, a small amount of pudding, and another pastry layer. (A small amount of the pudding mix on top of the berries will help keep the layers together.) Spread with remaining pudding mixture and strawberries, and top with remaining pastry layers (the best looking ones). Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.