Bon Appetit Desserts (93 page)

Sift powdered sugar over napoleons. Spoon sauce onto 6 plates. Arrange napoleons atop sauce. Sprinkle additional nut brittle around and serve.

Caramelized Banana Purses with White Chocolate Sauce

Here’s a good choice for an elegant dinner party: Delicate “purses” of phyllo pastry hold a banana-hazelnut filling and are served with white chocolate sauce and a crunchy hazelnut crumble. Everything can be made ahead; just slide the purses into the oven before dinner.
Makes 10

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

1½ cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 cup hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

Pinch of salt

¾ cup sugar

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces

¼ cup fresh lime juice

6 medium bananas (about 2 pounds), peeled, cut into ¾-inch-thick slices

2 tablespoons Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur) or amaretto

10 17×12-inch sheets or twenty 14×9-inch sheets fresh or thawed frozen phyllo pastry

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted

White Chocolate Sauce (see recipe)

CRUMBLE
: Preheat oven to 300°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil; spray with nonstick spray. Stir brown sugar and butter in medium saucepan over low heat until butter melts. Remove from heat. Mix in flour, nuts, and salt; spread on prepared sheet. Bake until dry and golden, about 30 minutes. Cool. Peel off foil and break crumble into small pieces.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

FILLING
: Stir sugar, butter, and lime juice in large nonstick skillet over low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and stir until mixture begins to brown around edges, about 5 minutes. Add bananas and liqueur; stir until sauce is thick enough to coat bananas, about 2 minutes. Transfer to large bowl and cool. Mix 1 cup hazelnut crumble into banana mixture.

PURSES
: If using 17×12-inch phyllo, place 1 sheet on work surface (keep remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap, then damp towel). Brush phyllo with some melted butter. Fold phyllo in half crosswise, brush with melted butter, then fold in half again, forming square; brush with more butter.

If using 14×9-inch phyllo, place 1 sheet on work surface; brush with melted butter. Top with second sheet of phyllo; brush with butter. Fold phyllo sheets in half crosswise and brush with more butter.

Place generous ¼ cup filling in center of phyllo square. Bring all edges of phyllo square up toward center and squeeze firmly at top, forming purse. Place on baking sheet. Brush purse with butter. Repeat with remaining phyllo sheets, melted butter, and filling, forming 10 purses total.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 6 hours ahead. Chill.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover phyllo purses loosely with foil. Bake until purses begin to color, about 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until phyllo is golden, about 15 minutes longer. Place 1 purse on each of 10 plates. Spoon 3 tablespoons warm White Chocolate Sauce around each. Sprinkle remaining hazelnut crumble over and serve.

White Chocolate Sauce

Some pleasures in life are simple—here’s one. Because white chocolate can burn very easily, the cream is heated and then poured over the chocolate to melt it gently. With just two ingredients, you’ll want to use high-quality chocolate for best results. Fine white chocolate is found in the baking aisle or candy aisle of supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.
Makes about 2 cups

6 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped

1½ cups heavy whipping cream

Place chocolate in small bowl. Bring cream to boil in heavy small saucepan. Pour cream over chocolate; whisk until smooth.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and chill. Before serving, rewarm in saucepan over low heat, stirring often.

Pear and Fig Strudels with Ginger Cream

This recipe makes two strudels that are divided into four servings each. The recipe calls for 17×12-inch phyllo sheets, but if only 14×9-inch phyllo sheets are available, make three strudels instead of two, dividing the filling among three phyllo stacks.
8 servings

1½ pounds fresh figs, stemmed, each cut into 6 wedges (about 5 cups)

1½ pounds firm but ripe pears (about 3 large), peeled, cored, cut into ½-inch pieces (about 3½ cups)

½ cup sugar

½ cup frozen cranberry-raspberry concentrate, thawed

1½ teaspoons finely grated lemon peel

6 tablespoons plain dry breadcrumbs

4 tablespoons sugar, divided

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided

10 17×12-inch sheets fresh or thawed frozen phyllo pastry

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted

Ginger Cream (see recipe)

FILLING
: Preheat oven to 450°F. Generously butter large rimmed baking sheet. Place figs and pear pieces in single layer on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with sugar. Roast until fruit pieces are tender and beginning to brown around edges, about 20 minutes. Transfer fruit and any juices from baking sheet to medium bowl. Cool. Stir in cranberry-raspberry concentrate and lemon peel. Chill until cold.

STRUDELS
: Butter another large rimmed baking sheet. Mix breadcrumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in small bowl. Place clean kitchen towel on work surface. Place 1 phyllo sheet atop towel with short end toward edge of work surface (cover remaining phyllo with plastic wrap, then damp kitchen towel). Brush phyllo sheet with some melted butter; sprinkle with ⅛ of breadcrumb mixture. Top with second phyllo sheet. Brush with melted butter; sprinkle with ⅛ of breadcrumb mixture. Repeat with 2 more phyllo sheets, melted butter, and breadcrumb mixture. Top with fifth phyllo sheet; brush with melted butter (do not sprinkle with breadcrumb mixture).

Using slotted spoon, place half of fig mixture along 1 short side of phyllo stack; spread in 3-inch-wide strip, leaving 1-inch plain border on long sides. Sprinkle ½ tablespoon sugar and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon over fig mixture. Fold long sides of phyllo over filling; brush folded sides with melted butter. Starting at filled short side, roll up phyllo, enclosing filling completely. Brush all over with melted butter. Place strudel, seam side down, on prepared baking sheet. Repeat assembly process to make second strudel.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and chill.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Brush strudels lightly with melted butter. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Using serrated knife, cut each strudel on diagonal into 4 pieces; discard ends. Place 1 piece on each of 8 plates. Dollop Ginger Cream alongside. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Ginger Cream

This topping is also great served with plum, pear, or peach crisps and pies, and it makes a nice addition to tropical fruit compotes. It’s even delicious with pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving.
Makes about 1½ cups

¼ cup water

3 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger

1½ tablespoons sugar

1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

Combine ¼ cup water, ginger, and sugar in heavy small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer until mixture is syrupy, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. Using electric mixer, beat cream in medium bowl until peaks form. Fold in ginger mixture.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Rewhisk to thicken, if necessary, before serving.

Apple Strudel with Cranberry Sauce

Sheets of phyllo pastry replace strudel dough in this great alternative to holiday pumpkin pie. Gingersnap crumbs are a clever addition: They lend a warm spice flavor to the apple filling while thickening the juices and create a tasty separation between the layers of phyllo. Use a food processor to grind crisp—not chewy—gingersnap cookies into fine crumbs, or enclose the cookies in a resealable plastic bag and use a rolling pin or meat mallet to crush them. Serve the strudel with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
6 servings

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (about 8 ounces; unthawed)

1 cup sugar