Coconut Banana Popsicles

 

A few months ago, I had the most delicious coconut popsicle.  I think I ate the whole box of them all by myself.  The idea then popped into my head that I could probably make them, so I went on the lookout for a recipe.  I found some that involved eggs, but I'd prefer not to do it that way.  After a little research, I stumbled upon this recipe from someone from Columbia.  The popsicles I got from the store were from Mexico, so I figured they had to be pretty close.  While I was making them, my oldest son requested banana pops, so I thought, why not add some in there?  I added two, but, after trying them, I think one probably would have been sufficient.  This recipe has some great potential.  I bet it would also be good with some rose water or lavender mixed in.

Coconut Popsicles

Ingredients

(6 – 8 popsicles depends on your molds)
1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
1 can (13.5 oz) condensed milk
½ cup milk
¼ cup heavy cream
¾ cup unsweetened coconut
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract 

1-2 bananas

Directions

1.    Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Feel free to stir in some more coconut for added yumminess.

2.    Divide evenly into ice pops molds. Seal and freeze until ready, about 4 hours.

Lavender Coconut Flan

On July 4th a year ago, I went to New Orleans and had some very delicious ice cream at the Creole Creamery.  I ordered the Red, White, and Blueberry, a yummy strawberry, blueberry, and banana parfait to share with my husband.  However, inspired by the writing on the wall (literally, someone had written it there), I had to "try the lavender honey" before I left, so I requested a sample.  The tasting of this little bit of Heaven on Earth changed  my culinary life forever.  Ever since then, I have daydreamed about the light, perfumy (is that a word?) flavor and vowed to go back there.  Alas, I don't think I've set foot in the Crescent City since then, but I did find a place around here that sells dried culinary lavender (score!), and I have been looking at recipes all over the place starring the tasty flower.  Lavender is quite the popular flavor in France, but, for some reason, Americans don't really use it in their cooking.  It has become a bit of a fad flavor in recent years, though, so maybe that will change.

At any rate, through my research, I found this sweet little recipe for lavender coconut flan.

Lavender Coconut Flan

1/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons culinary lavender
3 large eggs
14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons sweetened flaked coconut

In a small heavy saucepan bring water and sugar to a boil, stirring
until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup, without stirring, until golden
caramel. Pour caramel into a 1 1/2-quart soufflé dish, tilting dish
to coat bottom and some of side with caramel.

In a small saucepan, bring milk and lavender to a boil. Remove from
heat and cover. Let steep for 5 minutes. Strain the milk and discard
the lavender.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy. Whisk in lavender milk,
sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla. Then mix in coconut.

Pour the custard into the soufflé dish. Pour boiling water into the
roasting pan to reach two-thirds of the way up the sides of the ramekins.
Bake the custards for about 50 minutes, or until set. Let cool in the
water bath. Using paper towels, blot any coconut oil that has risen to
the surface.

Run a thin knife around the soufflé dish. Invert each soufflé dish onto
a dessert plate; let the caramel drizzle onto the plate. Serves 6.

Now, I did do some tweaking, not really with the recipe, but more with the baking implements.  You see, I don't have any ramekins.  That, of course, never stops a resourceful baker.  I just used  my Nordic Ware mini bundt pan.  The recipe fills the whole pan plus a few silicone cupcake baking cups.  I didn't realize my baking pan wouldn't be enough, so the baking cups didn't get any caramel.  I cooked them at 325 degrees F for 45 minutes, checking every 15 minutes for done-ness.  I think I took too long to make the custard because for my tiny flans, the caramel transformed into candy on the tops.  They were also pretty hard to get out.  Not only did the caramel form into a nice crunchy candy, but it also stuck to the pan.  Next time, I guess it will be better to make the caramel last (oh, and make these things with ramekins!).  Despite these slight mess-ups, it still tasted pretty good, especially after setting over night.  I suppose the flavors had more of a chance to "marry" that way.

I'm Blue (Da Ba Dee)

Since I've discovered a new passion and want to keep track of all my trials and tribulations, I think I'll start a new blog.  My new joy is none other than creating sweet treats.  I've been a watcher of the Food Network for quite a bit, but I hardly ever tried to imitate what I saw.  My husband, exasperated, wondered out loud how I could watch all these programs and not take an interest in re-creating those masterpieces.  At first, I had a pretty good excuse--I was working full-time and pregnant (with all-the-time "morning" sickness).  My new little bundle is now four months old, and, for a few months now, I have decided to take it to the next level and actually try out some stuff.  Don't get me wrong.  This certainly was not my first time in the kitchen, but this is the first time I've actually felt like I've been accomplishing something pretty fantastic.  I can't really explain it any further other than to say that something just clicked, and I've been looking forward to weekends (when I finally have the time to get in the kitchen) ever since.

I had always been a stickler and insisted on making my children's birthday cakes.  Yeah, that baby I mentioned up in the first paragraph is not my first--she's my third.  Yet another reason why kitchen time is precious time.  I have managed to do birthday cakes every birthday except my first son's fourth birthday, which was this past March.  I not only had the morning sickness but also the flu, so I couldn't do anything but order a cake that time.  Actually, it was my husband who did the ordering.  Anyway, I made some cupcakes for my little girl's baptism party back in April, and one of my guests liked them so much she flattered me by actually asking me to make the cake for her son's first birthday.  That party was this past weekend.  I had a lot of fun making the cake.  It took a lot of energy, several breaks to nurse my girl, and a tired electric mixer, but I got through it.  I'll always think of that as my first "gig."

What she wanted: a blue velvet cake with marshmallow and peanut butter filling and vanilla buttercream.  I used SprinkleBakes' adjustments for Paula Deen's blue velvet cake recipe and my own variation of Paula Deen's buttercream recipe.  I didn't use a recipe for the marshmallow creme and peanut butter filling.  I just put the two together at my own discretion, inspired by my Mom's Fluffernutter sandwiches. 

This is how it turned out:

Blue Velvet Cake

2 cups sugar

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature

2 eggs

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1 tablespoon Wilton royal blue gel food coloring

1 small dab of Wilton violet gel food coloring

2 1/2 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter, mix until light and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time and mix well after each addition. Mix cocoa and food colorings together to form a paste, and then add to sugar mixture; mix well. Sift together flour and salt. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Blend in vanilla. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar and add to mixture.  The batter will be thick!

If you're making a cake, evenly distribute the mixture in two 9" pans.  Paula says you can do three 8" if you want.  Cook at 350 degrees for 35 - 40 minutes.  

If you want to make cupcakes instead, line a cupcake pan with liners. Pour batter into cupcake papers and bake for 25-30 minutes.  

Whether you do cupcakes or cakes, you'll know it's done if a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

Peanut Butter Marshmallow Creme

1 large jar marshmallow creme

1/2 cup peanut butter

Gently stir peanut butter into marshmallow creme.

Vanilla Buttercream

3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
2 to 3 cups confectioners' sugar (this is just a guideline!)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

With an electric mixer, cream butter in a large mixing bowl. Slowly beat in the sugar until smooth and creamy and sweetened to your liking (I pour in a little sugar, beat, then taste.  If it's too buttery, I add more sugar.  If it gets too sweet, I add a little flour). Add extract and stir to blend. Frost cake when fully cooled. If you are not using the frosting immediately, store it, covered, in the refrigerator and then bring it to room temperature just prior to using.