Bananas Foster over Puff Pastry

Even better than the classic version, this Bananas Foster is served over a round of flaky pastry and decorated with a spoon of cinnamon-spiked sour cream.

Prep Time: 40 Min
Cook Time: 10 Min
Ready In: 50 Min

Yields 6 servings


Ingredients:

1 sheet Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry
6 medium bananas, peeled
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup rum
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar


Directions:

1. Thaw pastry sheet at room temperature 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Unfold pastry sheet on lightly floured surface. Trim pastry to make 9-inch circle. Place on baking sheet. Bake 10 min. or until golden. Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire rack.

3. Cut bananas in half lengthwise and then crosswise into slices.

4. Mix 1/2 cup brown sugar, rum, butter, lemon juice and cinnamon in skillet. Heat to a boil. Cook and stir until mixture thickens, about 2 min. Add bananas and toss to coat.

5. Mix sour cream and remaining brown sugar. Spoon banana mixture over pastry. Top with sour cream mixture. Cut into wedges.


Substitution: 1 tablespoon of rum extract can be used in place of 1/4 cup rum.

Baking Tips: Chocolate Chip Cookies

Always add the chocolate morsels last to the mix. It's best when they are very cold. Just barely stir the morsels in - don't over mix.

Cream the shortening and sugar well. All the rest of the ingredients can be just mixed in, but proper creaming of the shortening and sugar is important.

Make sure that your baking pans are cool between cookie batches.

Substitute cherry flavored morsels for 1/2 of the chocolate morsels for a new taste treat.

Drop your cookies extra thick (use an ice cream scoop), flatten the top a little, then place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator for twenty minutes. Take the sheet from the refrigerator and bake at 375 degrees until the cookie's edges are slightly brown and you will have a soft centered delight.

Warm cookies always taste better than cold ones. Heat releases the flavor of chocolate and nuts. Try warming cookies in your microwave oven for a few seconds or in a 300 degree oven for about 5 minutes.

Chocolate Walnut Strudel

A dense chocolate and walnut filling rolled up with Puff Pastry - so simple, yet sure to satisfy any chocoholic. Serve with a puff of whipped cream.

Prep Time: 55 Min
Cook Time: 35 Min
Ready In: 1 Hr 30 Min

Yields 8 servings


Ingredients:

1 sheet Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
4 (1 ounce) squares semi-sweet chocolate
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Confectioners' sugar


Directions:

1. Thaw pastry sheet at room temperature 40 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix egg and water.

2. Place chocolate, milk and butter in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 1 1/2 minutes or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring halfway through heating. Stir until smooth.

3. Unfold pastry on lightly floured surface. Roll into 16x12-inch rectangle. Spread chocolate mixture on pastry to within 1 1/2 inches of edges. Sprinkle walnuts over chocolate. Starting at short side, roll up like a jelly roll. Place seam-side down on baking sheet. Tuck ends under to seal. Brush with egg mixture.

4. Bake 35 minutes or until golden. Cool on baking sheet on wire rack at least 30 minutes. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Slice and serve warm.


Tip: To decorate strudel, thaw and roll out remaining pastry sheet to 12-inch square. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutter. Press shapes onto top of strudel and brush with egg mixture. Bake as directed.