Banana and Butterscotch "Buzz"Recipe from California Grill, Contemporary |
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Ingredients
Butterscotch Crème Brûlée
7 cups heavy cream
2 Tahitian vanilla beans
12 ounces dark brown sugar
4 ounces water
½ tsp. white vinegar
1 cup heavy cream
1 ounce dark rum
Pinch salt
12 egg yolks
Filo Squares
5 Sheets Filo
½ pound butter
8 ounces Granulated Sugar
Yield: 15 each
Butterscotch Sauce
1 stick Butter, unsalted
1 cup Brown Sugar
Yield: 1 cup
Caramelized Bananas
2-3 bananas, halved lengthwise and cut into 3” lengths
Sugar, for caramelizing
Cocoa Nib/Hazelnut Tuile
16 Ounces Butter
16 Ounces Granulated Sugar
5 Ounces Glucose
5 Ounces Whole Milk
16 Ounces Hazelnut (chopped)
16 Ounces Cocoa Nibs
Yield: 4 5/8 pounds
Fried Plantains
5 each green plantains; peel keep in natural shape; slice thin #15 on deli slicer
1 ounce coffee-cocoa mix - see batch recipe below
Yield: 40 orders
Coffee/Cocoa Mix for Plantains
1 cup Valrhona cocoa powder
1 cup coffee grounds (fresh grind)
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup Kosher salt
Yield: 26 ounces
Method
Butterscotch Crème Brûlée
Split the vanilla beans and scrape the seeds from the pods. Add the seeds and the scraped husks to the heavy cream and bring to a boil. Allow the vanilla to steep in the cream for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Combine the dark brown sugar, water, and the vinegar in a heavy saucepan and cook, WITHOUT stirring, to 240°. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining heavy cream, dark rum, and salt.
When the cream and vanilla have steeped enough, strain the cream to remove the husks. Whisk the yolks lightly to blend them. Add the vanilla flavored cream to the beaten egg yolks, slowly, whisking until well combined.
Whisk the butterscotch mixture into the yolk and cream mixture. At this point, time permitting, the crème brûlée base should be rested overnight. Rest the base under refrigeration due to the uncooked egg yolks it contains.
Divide the base equally between 15 shallow gratin dishes set on a very flat sheetpan. Place the pan directly on the deck of a 325° oven and add boiling water to the sheetpan until the water is a ¼ inch below the rims of the dishes. Bake until lightly set. Remove the pan of crèmes carefully from the oven and allow to cool in it. When they have come to room temperature, chill them.
Different sugar toppings to try if serving on it’s own:
1. Dried brown sugar that is spread on a baking sheet and dry in oven or leave it out for a day or two.
2. In a blender, add brown sugar and blend until not quite a powder. Mix equal portions of granulated sugar and place on sheetpan lined with parchment. Dry in oven at 200° for an hour or so.
Filo Squares
Butter first 3 sheets of filo. Brush butter on the 4th and 5th layer then sprinkle with Granulated Sugar. Score 3 x 5 on the entire pile of filo. Bake till golden brown.
Butterscotch Sauce
Melt Butter in sauce pan. Add Brown Sugar and melt together, reduce until caramel forms.
Caramelized Bananas
The restaurant dusts the bananas with sugar and caramelizes with a blowtorch. Alternatively, you can roll the bananas in sugar, until coated. Spray cooking spray in a medium size nonstick pan, and heat over medium high heat. Add bananas and sugar. Cook bananas until light to golden brown underneath, about 4-5 minutes (you can lift with a spatula to peak). Be careful not to overcook or burn them (if you smell them browning, or see color in the pan, flip them right away). They should not be too soft. Gently flip bananas over to brown other side, turning heat down to medium. The second side will brown in about one minute. Set aside.
Cocoa Nib/Hazelnut Tuile
Melt Butter, Sugar and Glucose. Add milk. Add chopped Hazelnuts and Cocoa Nibs. Form a ball using 100 scoop. Flatten and Bake at 310° for approximately 12 minutes.
Fried Plantains
Carefully peel 5 green plantains trying best to retain natural shape.
Slice plantains on deli slicer #8 setting down the whole length of the plantain trying to retain the natural shape. See chef for demo if unsure.
In batches or 8-10, fry plantains in fryer at 350° turning plantains to ensure crispy coloring evenly throughout chip while trying to keep their natural shape.
Once plantains are crispy on both sides let drain on marituffs and season both sides generously immediately so cocoa-coffee mix will adhere.
Store on a large plate lined with marituffs for service. Do not wrap.
Coffee/Cocoa Mix for Plantains
Using a clean, dry stainless steel bowl, combine above ingredients and mix together very well to super combine. Store, covered for up to 7 days.
To Assemble: Spoon Caramel Sauce on the dessert plate. Place the crème Brûlée “napoleon” on this (2 squares of Filo that have been filled with Butterscotch Crème Brûlée) and spoon on more Caramel Sauce. Top with 2 slices of Caramelized Banana. Garnish with Cocoa Nib/Hazelnut Tuile, whipped cream and 1 slice of Crunchy Plantain.
