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Ready for a dessert that’s as impressive in presentation as it is in flavor? This Banana Bread Custard combines the homely comfort of banana bread with the elegance of chocolate custard, mascarpone whipped cream, and a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce. This layered treat is perfect for special occasions or as an indulgent weekend project. Follow this guide to recreate this sumptuous dessert that’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
There’s something incredibly satisfying about creating a dessert that combines multiple elements into one harmonious dish. This banana bread custard is the result of my desire to blend familiar flavors in an innovative way. The layers of banana bread, chocolate, cream and a caramel offer a taste and texture experience that’s both rich and comforting. I’m excited for you to try this recipe, which is perfect for sharing with loved ones or savoring by yourself as a special treat.
The Chemistry of Banana Bread Custard
The success of this dessert lies in the balance and interaction between its components. The banana bread provides a moist, flavorful base, with the bananas acting as a natural sweetener and moistening agent. The chocolate custard’s silky texture is achieved through the thickening power of cornstarch combined with egg yolks, which also contribute to its rich flavor. Mascarpone whipped cream adds a light, airy layer, with the mascarpone’s fat content creating a stable, creamy texture when whipped. The caramel sauce, made by carefully caramelizing sugar and then integrating butter and cream, adds a glossy, decadent finish with a perfect balance of sweetness and salt.
How do you ensure the banana bread doesn’t become too dry?
Avoid over baking the banana bread and ensure its fully cooled before assembling to maintain moisture. The banana bread should be moist and tender, providing a perfect base layer for the custard.
Can the dessert be made in advance?
Yes, you can prepare the individual components a day ahead and assemble a few hours before serving. For best texture, the dessert should chill for at least 2 hours after assembling for the layers to set properly.
How do you achieve smooth chocolate custard without lumps?
Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve to remove any cooked egg bits or lumps, ensuring a silky smooth texture. Whisk continuously while cooking to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
What’s the best way to serve the dessert?
This dessert is versatile in presentation, either layered in individual serving jars for a personal touch or assembled in a large trifle dish for a show-stopping dessert centerpiece. Serve chilled for the best texture and flavor experience.
What is in banana bread custard?
Granulated Sugar
Adds sweetness, provides a caramelized flavor and crisp texture. Sugar assists with rising when creamed with butter. It helps add moisture to your treat and helps it evenly spread as it melts into a liquid in the heat of the oven. Sugar also helps with naturally preserving your baked treat.
Unsalted Butter
It is always important to use unsalted butter when baking. If you use salted butter, you have no way of knowing how much salt you are adding to your dough or batter and it will result in an overly salted treat.
Butter adds fats to your dough or batter which helps with moistness, flavor and texture. Butter melts at body temperature, which creates a ‘melt in your mouth’ sensation.
When baking with butter the temperature is important. If the butter is too warm your treat will melt down too fast and overspread in the oven, leaving you with a greasy, flat mess. If your butter is too cold it will have the opposite problem and not melt down enough, leaving your treat too thick.
Eggs
Adds both a protein (egg whites) and fat (egg yolks). The egg whites help with rising because, when foamed, little air pockets get trapped inside the egg white mixture. The water content in egg whites encourages steam while baking, which helps with gluten formation, resulting in nice and thick treats. Egg yolks have emulsifying properties that bring batters and doughs together and help them from collapsing. Unless otherwise specified, always use large eggs.
Overripe Bananas
Provide sweetness and moisture to your treat. You want your bananas overripe so that they are extra sweet, easy to mash and add more moisture than ripe or unripe bananas.
All-purpose Flour
Builds structure as it absorbs liquids and expands. All-purpose flour falls in the middle of bread flour (high in gluten) and cake flour (low in gluten). It’s exactly what it is named, all-purpose, the most universal flour that can be used in most baked goods.
Fine Sea Salt
Enhances flavor, adds balance, masks any bitter flavors. Salt is the most powerful and oldest preservative. Always make sure to use fine sea salt so it melts down at the right speed in the heat of the oven. If you use larger granule salt, it will not melt down fully when baked and will leave salt crystals throughout your treat, making it crunch like you dropped it into sand.
Baking Soda
Elevates the pH level of your batter or dough. It increases the spread in your treat and encourages browning, which gives the crispy outside and soft inside texture that everyone loves. Baking soda needs both an acid and a liquid to react. Things that will activate your baking soda are: vinegar, fruit juice, molasses, brown sugar, tartar, buttermilk and sour cream. Baking soda only reacts once, which is right when it’s mixed into your batter or dough. The soda creates little air bubbles all throughout your treat. When the air bubbles get heated up in the oven, they expand.
Vanilla Extract
When using pure vanilla extract, as opposed to imitation flavoring, it will add the deep rich flavor that everybody wants in a treat.
Whole Milk & Heavy Cream
Create a rich, creamy base, contributing to its luxurious texture.
Egg Yolks
Thicken the custard, giving it a smooth and velvety consistency.
Cornstarch & Water
Work together as a thickening agent to achieve the custard’s desired consistency.
Semi-Sweet Chocolate
Melts into the custard, providing a deep, chocolatey flavor that contrasts beautifully with the banana bread.
Mascarpone Cheese
Gives the whipped cream a rich, velvety texture and a subtle tang that balances the sweetness of the other components.
Water
Helps the sugar dissolve evenly, preventing crystallization during the caramelization process.
Storage Tips
The fully assembled banana bread custard can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, though it’s best enjoyed within the first 24 hours for optimal freshness and texture. Cover loosely with plastic wrap to prevent the top from drying out while allowing the flavors to meld beautifully.
Assembly Tips
- For individual servings, consider cutting the banana bread into cubes or custom shapes to fit your serving jars or glasses neatly. When I use a jar, I use the top of the jar to cut the bread like a cookie cutter.
- Layer each component carefully to maintain distinct layers, adding visual appeal to the dessert. After each layer was added I gently tapped the bottom of the jar on the counter to even the layer out.
Recommended Products
Why make banana bread custard?
This banana bread custard is more than just a dessert; it’s a celebration of flavors and textures, beautifully layered to create a memorable dining experience. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or new to the kitchen, this recipe offers the opportunity to explore, create, and indulge in the delightful world of desserts.
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Banana Bread Custard
Ingredients
Banana Bread
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 4 eggs
- 5 large bananas **ripe
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate Custard
- 1 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 6 egg yolks
- 12 ounces semi sweet chocolate
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 3 tbsp water
Mascarpone Whipped Cream
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 8 ounces mascarpone
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Caramel Sauce
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 12 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
Instructions
Banana Bread
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
- In a standing mixer combine butter and sugar, whip until lighter in color and texture. This takes about 2 minutes on high speed
- Add the eggs and mix until combined
- Add the bananas and vanilla, mix until combined
- Pour the flour, salt and baking soda into the mixer, mix on low until the batter comes together.
- Pour the batter into a greased and parchment paper lined 9×13 pan
- Bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.
Chocolate Custard
- In a medium saucepan add the milk, cream and sugar. Heat until scalded but not boiling. Turn the heat off.
- In a separate bowl whisk the egg yolks until fully whipped.
- Take the hot cream mixture and slowly pour it into the yolks a tablespoon at a time while you whisk the yolks quickly. Continue doing this until you have added about 1/2 cup of hot cream to the egg yolks.
- Slowly pour the egg yolk mixture into the sauce pan. Once fully combined, turn the heat back on medium low.
- Add the chocolate and stir until fully melted.
- In a small bowl add 3 tablespoons of water and cornstarch. Whisk until smooth.
- Slowly pour the cornstarch into the custard and continue whisking until thick.
- Once thick take off of the heat, strain through a mesh strainer or sifter into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place into the fridge to cool and set. Should chill for at least 2 hours.
Mascarpone Whipped Cream
- In a medium size bowl add all 4 ingredients. Take a hand mixer and whip until stiff peak. Cover and place in the fridge until you are ready to assemble.
Caramel Sauce
- In a medium sauce pan add the sugar and water, turn the heat on to medium high and whisk until fully combined.
- Continue whisking as the sugar caramelizes. It takes just under 10 minutes, the sugar will thicken as it cooks and sometimes clump up, don't worry! Just be careful to not burn it.
- When caramelized, you can tell because the sugar is golden brown. Add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time as you whisk.
- Once the butter is all added, very slowly pour in the cream and half and half while whisking. Be very carful, the steam can burn you if you pour it in too quickly.
- Now add the salt and vanilla. Stir until combined. Take off the heat and let it cool down a bit before assembling.
Assemble
- Start by taking approximately half of the mascarpone cream and fold it into the chocolate custard. Reserve the rest of the mascarpone cream.
- In personal serving size jars (makes 20) or in a large trifle dish assemble your banana bread custard.
- Start with a layer of banana bread, I like to cut the bread in half horizontally so that it isn't too thick. This is a personally preference.
- Top with chilled chocolate custard
- Add the mascarpone whipped cream over the chocolate custard
- Pour on some caramel sauce to finish it off
- Enjoy now or place in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
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