Milk Chocolate Banana Pudding

Ingredients
Milk Chocolate Pastry Cream:
3 cups whole milk
3 ounces good-quality milk chocolate, finely chopped
1-ounce unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 ounces thin chocolate wafer cookies (recommended: Nabisco)
4 large bananas, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 cups sweetened whipped cream
Milk chocolate shavings, for garnish


Directions
Place milk in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Whisk in both chocolates and heat until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat.


Whisk together the yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the chocolate-milk mixture and then return the mixture to the saucepan over medium-high heat and whisk until thickened. Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla, and transfer to a clean bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the surface of the pastry cream and let cool to room temperature.


Spoon about 1 cup of the pastry cream into a 9 by 13-inch glass dish. Layer the cookies, bananas, and pastry cream in the bowl, ending with the pastry cream. Cover tightly and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight. Just before serving, spread the whipped cream over the top of the pudding and sprinkle with the chocolate shavings.


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White Chocolate Rice Pudding with Cherries Jubilee and Sliced Almonds

Ingredients
4 1/2 cups whole milk
2/3 cup long-grain white rice
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons whipping cream
4 ounces good-quality white chocolate (recommended: Lindt or Valrhona), chopped
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Warm Cherry Sauce, recipe follows
Whipped cream, for garnish, optional
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted, for garnish


Directions
Combine first 5 ingredients in a heavy, large saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until mixture thickens and rice is very tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.


Reduce heat to low. Whisk egg yolks and cream together in a small bowl. Gradually whisk 1/2 cup rice mixture into egg mixture; return mixture to the saucepan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly; do not let boil. Remove from the heat. Add white chocolate and stir until melted. Stir in the orange zest and cinnamon. Transfer pudding to a large bowl, cover, and chill until cold. Serve in bowls or large goblets with Warm Cherry Sauce, whipped cream, and toasted almonds on top, or layer in parfait glasses.


Warm Cherry Sauce:
1 cup cherry preserves
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons kirsch (cherry brandy)


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Rice Pudding

Pumpkin French Toast Stuffed with Blackberry-Caramel Mascarpone

Ingredients

Blackberry-Caramel:

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup blackberry puree
• 2 teaspoons blackberry liqueur
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 
  

French Toast:

• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 3/4 cups whole milk, plus more if needed
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, divided
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon dark rum
• 8 slices day old challah, sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups mascarpone, at room temperature
• 1 pint blackberries, halved lengthwise
• Confectioners' sugar
• Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish

Directions

Blackberry-Caramel:

Heat the cream in a small saucepan over low heat.

Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over high heat and cook, without stirring, until amber brown, about 8 minutes. Slowly whisk in the warm cream, blackberry puree and liqueur and cook until smooth and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract. Let come to room temperature.

French Toast:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put a baking sheet in the oven.

Whisk together the eggs, sugar and salt in a large baking dish until smooth. Add the pumpkin puree, ground spices, milk, 1/4 cup of the heavy cream, vanilla and rum and whisk until smooth.

Put 4 slices of the bread in the custard mixture and let sit for 2 minutes. Carefully turn over the slices and let sit until the bread is completely soaked through, about 2 more minutes.

While the bread is soaking, heat 3 tablespoons of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat until the mixture begins to sizzle. Cook the 4 slices of the bread until golden brown on the bottom, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip over and continue cooking until the bottom is golden brown, about 2 minutes longer. Remove to the baking sheet in the oven to keep warm. Wipe out the pan with paper towels and repeat the process with the butter, oil and remaining 4 pieces of bread.

Combine the mascarpone and remaining 1/4 cup of heavy cream in a bowl and using a stand mixer or hand-held mixer, beat until fluffy and smooth. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and fold in a few tablespoons of the blackberry-caramel sauce. Put the sauce into a small saucepan over low heat and heat or put it in the microwave for a minute or so to just warm through.

Remove the French toast from the oven and arrange them on a serving platter. Top 4 slices of the toast with a large dollop of the blackberry-caramel mascarpone and some of the blackberries. Cover with the remaining 4 pieces of toast and drizzle each with some of the warm blackberry caramel sauce. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, garnish with fresh mint sprig and serve.

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French Toast

Chocolate Angel Food Cake and Raspberry Parfait

Ingredients

• 1 store bought chocolate angel food cake, cut into cubes
• 1/4 cup framboise
• 1 cup very cold heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons best-quality cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pint fresh raspberries
• Grated bittersweet chocolate

Directions

Drizzle cake cubes with framboise and toss to combine.

Using a hand held mixer, beat together the cream, sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Keep cold until ready to serve.

Place a few cubes of the angel food cake in the bottom of 4 parfait glasses. Top with a few tablespoons of the chocolate cream, a few tablespoons of raspberries and a little grated chocolate. Repeat to make 4 layers, ending with chocolate cream. Garnish with a few raspberries and grated chocolate.

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