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Narsai David Recipe: Elvis Cupcakes

(KCBS) - KCBS Food and Wine Editor Narsai David shares a delicious cupcake recipe that will have your friends and family saying "thank you very much."

Banana Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting, Caramelized Bacon and Caramel Banana,  by Lissa Doumani of Terra Restaurant

 

 

Banana Chocolate Cupcakes

Makes approximately 25 (2 ounce) cupcakes or 12 (4 ounce) or 1 (8 inch cake)

Preheat oven to 325°

1 large Banana, very ripe and mashed
2 Egg yolks
2 tsp Vanilla extract
3 TBS Sour Cream
1 TBS Honey
3 oz Butter, unsalted
½ cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Pastry Flour
2 ½ tsp Baking Powder
4 ounces Bittersweet Chocolate grated
6 Egg whites
3 TBS Sugar

Prepare your cupcake cups or can pan, most cupcake cups don't need anything treatment but cupcake pans and cake pans do. Either spray them with a non stick spray or brush with melted butter then dust with flour.

In a small bowl combine the mashed banana, vanilla extract, sour cream and honey, set aside. In another small bowl mix the flour and baking powder. In a mixer with the paddle attachment beat the butter and brown sugar together until light and pale brown. Alternate adding the flour and the egg yolk mixture ending with the flour then gently mix in the grated chocolate. Remove this mixture to a medium size bowl and set aside.

Clean the mixing bowl well then return to the base and add the egg whites and with the whisk attachment start at a medium speed until frothy. Increase the speed to high and very slowly add the sugar until stiff glossy peaks form.

Whisk a third of the egg whites into the banana mixture to lighten the batter then add the rest and gently fold in with a spatula. Use an ice cream scoop to fill the cupcakes 2/3rds full. Bake in the middle of the oven for approximately 15-20 minutes for the smaller cupcakes or until the cupcake springs back when lightly touched. Remove from the oven to a rack and let cool completely before frosting.

Candied Bacon

Preheat the oven to 400°

4 Bacon thick cut strips
1 cup Brown Sugar

Have a sheet pan big enough to hold the 4 strips of bacon.

On a plate long enough to hold a slice of bacon sift the brown sugar. Take a strip of bacon and place on the brown sugar and press firmly, turn the bacon over and cover the strip with brown sugar and press firmly again. The bacon should be well covered with the brown sugar. Place on the sheet pan and repeat with the other 3 strips of bacon, once they are all on the sheet pan sprinkle each with a little extra brown sugar. Keep them spaced at least an inch apart. Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake until the bacon is caramelized and looks crispy, about 15 minutes. Remove the bacon from the oven and transfer the bacon from the sheet pan to a rack and let cool completely. After cool cut into 3/8 inch slices across the short side of the bacon strip. Keep uncovered on a plate until ready to use.

Peanut Butter Frosting

Makes approximately 2 ½ cups

1 cup Peanut butter, smooth
1 cup Confectioners sugar
¼ cup Cream cheese
4 TBS Butter, unsalted and room temperature
½ tsp Vanilla extract
¼ cup Heavy Cream

In the mixer with the paddle attachment cream together the peanut butter, confectioners' sugar, cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, then add the vanilla extract and heavy cream. If the mixture seems too thick add a little more cream. Whisk everything until combined and keep aside until ready to use.

Caramelized Banana

For this recipe it is best to use a torch. Do not prepare the bananas until just before serving or the caramel with get soft.

2 Bananas ripe
½ cup Sugar

Slice the bananas into 3/8th inch discs and spread out on a sheet pan. In small batches generously sprinkle a few banana discs with sugar and torch with the flame about 3 inches from the banana until the sugar caramelizes. The edges of the banana discs might get a dark but they will still taste great.

To Assemble

Lay out the cupcakes and with a piping bag and a #3 tip pipe the frosting on the cupcake in a concentric circle overlapping enough that the frosting creates a small pyramid. If you don't have a piping bag you can to this with a small dinner knife. On top of each cupcake dot the frosting with 3-4 pieces of the candied bacon around the outer edge of the frosting, leaving room for the caramel banana. Just before serving caramelize the banana disc and place one in the center of each cupcake.

Then practice your best Elvis drawl, Thank you darlin'.

Courtesy of Terra Restaurant
www.terrarestaurant.com

Narsai David is the KCBS Food and Wine Editor. He has been a successful restaurateur, chef, TV host, and columnist in the Bay Area spanning four decades.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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