This mascarpone cream with caramelized bananas is part of the Dessert For One series. Think of the way society is built: it’s a couple’s world! But this series reclaims individuality. I mean, what if you have a sweet tooth and live alone? What if your partner refuses to share a sweet treat after a meal? What if all you need is just a little sweet treat to survive the day? Well, you can always make a single serve dessert.
For this mascarpone cream with caramelized bananas – you can see I struggled with coming up with a more clever name – it’s as literal as it gets. And to be fair, the recipe is more about vibes than accuracy. When you’re making a dessert that doesn’t involve baking and is served in a cocktail glass, measurements are more of a suggestion than a rule.
This dessert is meant to be consumed immediately upon serving. The contrast between the hot and the cold will wake up your taste buds in a lovely way but it’ll also quickly melt the whipped mascarpone. So unless your idea of dessert is melted ice cream, you don’t have much time to waste.
Caramelized bananas are a wonderful base for a quick dessert. They are crispy and soft and naturally sweet. For a no-fuss method, I like caramelizing them in a non-stick skillet with butter and brown sugar. For this, I also added some chopped dates along with toasted nuts. If you take the concept and idea, you can really just make it to your liking and adjust as you go. This recipe doesn’t rely on science and accuracy, it’s really about following your heart. And although I don’t always support the idea of following a fickle muscular organ, for this recipe I highly reccommend.
If you make this mascarpone cream with caramelized bananas please let me know in the comments!
Dessert for One: mascarpone cream with caramelized bananas
1
serving10
minutes10
minutesIngredients
1/2 cup mascarpone
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp walnuts, chopped
1 tbsp butter
1 small banana, sliced
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp dates, chopped
maple syrup, for drizzling
grated chocolate, for serving
Directions
In a small bowl, combine the mascarpone, heavy cream, and vanilla.
- Using a whisker, whip until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Transfer whipped mascarpone to a serving glass.
Toast the walnuts: heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the walnuts in a single layer. Cook, watching constantly and stirring frequently until the walnuts start to brown and smell toasted, 2-4 minutes. Set aside.
Caramelize the banana: cut the banana into thick slices. Melt the butter in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add the banana slices and sprinkle the brown sugar all over slices.
Cook until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. Be careful not to overcook or burn them. Gently flip bananas over, turning heat down to medium if necessary. The second side will brown in about one minute.
Add the dates and drizzle with maple syrup. Cook until warm and soft, 1-2 minutes.
Place bananas and dates on top of mascarpone.
Drizzle with more maple syrup, top with toasted walnuts, and grated chocolate. Serve.
