Choco Banana Croffles

I love Trader Joe's so it's only fitting I take a stab at one of Trader Joe's recipe contests featuring bananas and only Trader Joe's ingredients. This recipe features Croffles, which are a hybrid between a croissant and waffle, taking laminated dough and pressing into a waffle maker until golden brown with crispy and flaky buttery layers. The Croffles are topped with a decadent banana infused dark chocolate whipped cream and brûléed bananas.

Servings: 4

Total Recipe Time: 6 Hours 35 minutes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Rest Time: 6 hours

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

4 ripe Bananas

1.5 cups Trader Joe's Whipping Cream or heavy cream (354ml)

1/4 cup Trader Joe's Organic Sugar (50g)

1 1/2 Trader Joe's 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate bars (71g)

1 Box Trader Joe's Mini Croissants (frozen)

1 tbsp Trader Joe's Powdered Sugar (8g) (for garnish)

Tools:

Waffle Maker

Mixing bowls

Spatula

Strainer

Hand mixer or whisk

3 quart pot

Blow torch or stainless steel spoon or toaster oven

Method:

1. Infused banana cream: In a medium size bowl, pour whipping cream over 2 bananas (sliced). Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.

2. Choco banana whipped cream: Break chocolate into small pieces into a bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water, and mix slowly until chocolate is melted. Cool for 5 minutes. Using a strainer, strain banana slices from banana cream into a medium size bowl. Discard banana slices or save for later use. Add 1.5 tbsp sugar into cream. Using a hand mixer, whip cream until firm peaks form (6-8 minutes). Fold melted chocolate into mixture with spatula until fully combined. Refrigerate mixture until serving time.

3. Croffles: In a heated waffle maker, place 2 frozen croissants close together in center of waffle maker and cook for 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Repeat step 3 more times until all croffles are cooked.

• Tip: Place cooked croffles in oven or toaster oven at 200°F/94°C to keep warm until serving.

4. Banana brûlée: Leaving banana skin on, slice 2 bananas in half lengthwise. Sprinkle sugar over banana halves (skin side down). Once brûléed, allow bananas to cool for 3-5 minutes until sugar has hardened.

• Blow torch: Hold the flame 2 inches away from the sugar, move torch back and forth across the surface. As the sugar heats, it will turn brown and bubble.

• Stainless steel spoon: Heat back of spoon over gas flame for 1 minute. Press spoon across sugared bananas until golden. When done, plunge spoon in cold water.

• Toaster oven: Refrigerate bananas for 1 hour until cold. Place toaster oven rack on highest rack closest to broiler and set broiler to 500°F/260°C. Place cold bananas on baking tray, sprinkle with sugar and broil for 5 minutes until sugar is melted and golden.

5. Plate and enjoy!: Serve each croffle topped with a generous dollop of choco banana cream, a light dusting of powder sugar and brûléed banana on top!