The very title of this banana dessert conjures up memories for me. My parents, Dick and Barbara, regularly prepared it—without the chile—in the late 1950s. As kids, my brother Rick and I were entranced with the idea of setting food on fire! Sometimes if they were out of rum, Dick would substitute brandy or even blended whiskey. The bananas were …
After cooking all day and sometimes for days and days, it’s nice to have a desert recipe that is so easy and takes absolutely no time to prepare, but is still elegant and delicious. In most areas you can find beautiful strawberries year round. Use a good quality champagne as the flavor really infuses the strawberries. Serve a glass of champagne with the dessert for a truly decadent finale to dinner.
These little turnovers are like miniature pies. You can vary the fillings and really have fun experimenting with different jams and jellies. There are a lot of jellies flavored with peppers, so look in the jam and jelly section of your grocery store or a gourmet specialty store. You can always make your own hot variation by adding cayenne pepper, finely diced chiles of your choice to your favorite flavor of jam. If you don’t have time to make your own pie crust, you can always substitute premade refrigerated pie crusts. These delectable little pies also make great holiday gifts.
This is a holiday version of the popular Italian dessert. It can be served in a large glass bowl or in individual dessert bowls or large wine goblets. The cranberry chutney can be made in advance and then the dessert can be put together the morning of the party. The red and white color is beautiful and very dramatic.
Don’t be intimidated by the fact that this is a mousse recipe. Most can be a little tricky and some recipes can be down right risky. This one is foolproof. The consistency is perfect every time. You can vary the richness of this dessert by your choice of chocolate.
The chocolate pairs beautifully with the chile. It’s a natural marriage of flavors. Purchase some inexpensive wine or dessert holiday glasses for a festive presentation. Or tie red and green ribbons around wine glasses that you already have. Make the dessert in advance, refrigerate and then just garnish with a little whipped cream, light sprinkling of chile powder and fresh mint for a gorgeous presentation.
