Okay, I'll admit it: I read People magazine's website and {in total jest} call it "the news" when I get together with my dear friend Abigail Martin. While this is normally something I don't readily admit to {to make up for it I read the Huffington Post, watch the BBC News, and listen to NPR so as not to be a complete mush brain}. Today I was rewarded for my trolling by finding these two great recipes for favorite desserts of Kate Middleton & HRH Prince William. I'm hoping to make both soon but must admit that I'm posting them without having actually tried either recipe. I'll follow up after I've tried each one. By all means if you try one please leave a comment and let us know your thoughts!
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Ingredients:
8 oz. pitted dates, chopped
1¼ cups boiling water
½ cup softened buttered (3½ tbsp. for batter, use the rest to butter the pan
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tbsp. black treacle or dark molasses
1 tbsp. Lyle's Golden Syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups self-rising cake flour
1 tbsp. baking soda
For Toffee Sauce
½ cup superfine sugar
7 tbsp. butter
6 oz. English double cream
Directions:
1. In a bowl, cover dates with boiling water. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 375. Place a roasting pan filled with about 1 inch of water into the oven.
3. Butter a 9"x9" pan. Dust with flour. In a bowl, with an electric mixer, beat 3½ tbsp. butter with sugar until combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then add treacle, Golden Syrup and vanilla. Mix until just combined. On low speed, add the flour.
4. In a food processor, puree the dates. Stir in the baking soda and stir the mixture into the batter. Pour into the prepared pan. Place in roasting pan and bake about 35 minutes until top is just firm. Remove from oven and cool slightly.
5. Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt sugar and butter until mixture turns a deep amber color. Watch closely so it does not burn. Slowly mix in the double cream. Be careful: It will bubble up at first. Once all the cream is added, cook mixture until it is thick enough to coat a spoon. Cut cake into squares and serve with sauce and vanilla ice cream.
Banana Flan
Ingredients:
For the pastry – enough for two tart shells:
• ¾ cup plus 1 tbsp. sugar
• 3 ½ sticks butter, in small pieces
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 ¼ cups flour
For the filling:
• 1½ cups milk
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 5 egg yolks
• 1 egg
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter (softened)
• 3-4 ripe bananas, sliced ¼-inch thick
• ½ cup apricot jam
• ¾ cup plus 1 tbsp. sugar
• 3 ½ sticks butter, in small pieces
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 ¼ cups flour
For the filling:
• 1½ cups milk
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 5 egg yolks
• 1 egg
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter (softened)
• 3-4 ripe bananas, sliced ¼-inch thick
• ½ cup apricot jam
Directions:
1. In a food processor, combine sugar, butter, egg and vanilla. Pulse until smooth. Add the flour and pulse until combined. Turn out onto a floured surface and form into two balls. Cover each with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. (Unbaked dough may be refrigerated for up to one week or frozen up to three months.)
2. Roll out one ball to about ¼-inch thick circle and place it in a 9-in., two-piece tart pan. Refrigerate for about 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425º. Line tart with parchment paper and fill with baking weights. Place tart in oven. After 5 minutes lower temperature to 375º. Bake for another 10 minutes. Remove parchment and weights and bake until tart is golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.
3. In a large saucepan, bring the milk and cream to the boil. In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, egg, vanilla, cornstarch and salt. Slowly add the hot milk and cream into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the contents of the bowl back into the saucepan. Continue whisking pastry cream over medium heat until it thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in butter. Let cool slightly, then spoon into the tart shell.
4. Arrange banana slices neatly on top of the warm filling. In a small pan, bring the apricot jam to a boil and brush over the top of the bananas.
1. In a food processor, combine sugar, butter, egg and vanilla. Pulse until smooth. Add the flour and pulse until combined. Turn out onto a floured surface and form into two balls. Cover each with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. (Unbaked dough may be refrigerated for up to one week or frozen up to three months.)
2. Roll out one ball to about ¼-inch thick circle and place it in a 9-in., two-piece tart pan. Refrigerate for about 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425º. Line tart with parchment paper and fill with baking weights. Place tart in oven. After 5 minutes lower temperature to 375º. Bake for another 10 minutes. Remove parchment and weights and bake until tart is golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.
3. In a large saucepan, bring the milk and cream to the boil. In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, egg, vanilla, cornstarch and salt. Slowly add the hot milk and cream into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the contents of the bowl back into the saucepan. Continue whisking pastry cream over medium heat until it thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in butter. Let cool slightly, then spoon into the tart shell.
4. Arrange banana slices neatly on top of the warm filling. In a small pan, bring the apricot jam to a boil and brush over the top of the bananas.
