Vetted Recipes

Caramelized Bananas and Vanilla Cream in Phyllo Cups

Ingredients

  • 9 phyllo pastry sheets (each about 17x13 inches), stacked and halved crosswise, forming eighteen 8 1/2x13-inch rectangles
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • 8 tablespoons (about) sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
  • 3 large firm but ripe bananas, peeled, sliced thinly on diagonal
  • Additional sugar
  • Chocolate sorbet

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter every other cup in 12-cup muffin pan. Place 1 phyllo rectangle on work surface; cover remaining phyllo with damp cloth to prevent drying. Brush rectangle with melted butter; sprinkle with 1/2 tablespoon sugar. Place second phyllo rectangle atop first; brush with butter and sprinkle with 1/2 tablespoon sugar. Repeat 3 more times; top with 1 more rectangle and brush with butter, making stack of 6 rectangles. Using small sharp knife and 6-inch-diameter plate as guide, cut out two 6-inch round stacks. Press each stack into 1 buttered muffin cup. Repeat entire procedure 2 more times, making 4 more phyllo cups (6 total). Bake cups until golden and crisp, about 15 minutes. Carefully lift cups, twisting slightly to loosen; place on rack. Cool completely. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)
  2. Make pastry cream: Whisk 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Gradually whisk in milk, then yolks. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Whisk over medium heat until pastry cream thickens and boils, about 6 minutes. Strain pastry cream into small bowl; press plastic wrap directly onto surface. Chill until cold, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days. Preheat broiler. Place phyllo cups on small baking sheet. Spoon 1/3 cup pastry cream into each cup. Overlap 5 or 6 banana slices atop pastry cream in each cup. Sprinkle bananas with additional sugar. Broil pastries until sugar topping caramelizes, turning sheet for even browning, about 2 minutes. Transfer cups to plates. Scoop sorbet alongside.
  3. Whisk 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Gradually whisk in milk, then yolks. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Whisk over medium heat until pastry cream thickens and boils, about 6 minutes. Strain pastry cream into small bowl; press plastic wrap directly onto surface. Chill until cold, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.
  4. Preheat broiler. Place phyllo cups on small baking sheet. Spoon 1/3 cup pastry cream into each cup. Overlap 5 or 6 banana slices atop pastry cream in each cup. Sprinkle bananas with additional sugar. Broil pastries until sugar topping caramelizes, turning sheet for even browning, about 2 minutes. Transfer cups to plates. Scoop sorbet alongside.

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