from Dining in Paradise
Crème de Banana happens to be one of my favourite liqueurs, so it’s not a coincidence that I make it a primary component in this recipe. Enjoy it with a Yellow Bird cocktail. After all, who says you can’t have a cocktail at brunch?
Ingredients
Crème de Banana Sauce:
1 cup (250 mL) Dulce de Leche
1 Tbsp (15 mL) Crème de Banana liqueur
Banana Filling:
3 ripe bananas, sliced
¼ cup (60 mL) Crème de Banana liqueur
1 cup (250 mL) cream cheese, softened
French Toast:
4 large eggs
¼ cup (60 mL) half and half cream (10%)
¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
½ tsp (2 mL) ground cinnamon
¼ tsp (1 mL) ground nutmeg
1 tsp (5 mL) pure vanilla extract
½ cup (125 mL) butter, divided
8 thick slices coconut or brioche bread
Garnish:
½ cup (125 mL) unsweetened toasted coconut flakes
½ cup (125 mL) toasted hazelnut pieces
1 Tbsp (15 mL) confectioner’s (icing) sugar
Zest of 3 limes
1 cup (250 mL) chocolate shavings
Directions
To prepare the crème de banana sauce, place dulce de leche and liqueur in the bowl of a food processor and puree. Set aside.
To prepare the banana filling, in a skillet, combine bananas and liqueur over medium heat and toss to coat. Add cream cheese to pan and fold in banana mixture. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
To prepare the French toast, in a medium bowl, crack eggs and slowly add cream while whisking. Add salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla and whisk well.
To assemble the French toast, in a large skillet, heat 3 Tbsp (45 mL) butter over medium heat.
Spread cream cheese filling generously over 1 slice of bread. Place sliced banana filling on top and cover with another slice of bread using cream cheese as the glue to seal edges together.
Dip bread in egg batter and flip over with a spatula to coat the other side. Transfer to the skillet and fry until golden on one side, then flip over to fry the other side, about 3 minutes per side.
Transfer to a plate and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with remaining bread slices.
To serve, drizzle the Crème de Banana Sauce on a plate, cut sandwich in half on the diagonal and set on a plate. Drizzle with sauce again, garnish with coconut flakes, hazelnut, sugar, lime zest and chocolate shavings. Repeat with remaining slices and indulge!
Serves 4
Yellow Bird Cocktail
This is the drink that was inspired by the popular song recorded by Harry Belafonte.
Ingredients
Juice of ½ lime
1 ½ oz (45 mL) light rum
½ oz (15 mL) banana liqueur
½ oz (15 mL) Galliano liqueur
2 oz (60 mL) orange juice
2 oz (60 mL) pineapple juice
2 orange slices
2 cherries
Ice
Directions
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake well to chill.
Serve and garnish with orange slices and cherries.
Serves 2
Nada’s Tips & Tricks: I had a version of this recipe sans alcohol in a hidey-hole breakfast nook in San Diego. You NEED the liqueur!! A great long weekend brunch dish to impress family and friends.
Contents and images used with permission by Raquel Fox. https://www.islandgurlfoods.com/product/dining-in-paradise-cookbook/
