Chocolate Sauced Banana Brioche Buns

    

If any of you have been reading my blog for very long you will know by now that I am rather lazy when it comes to cooking.  Not that I am not capable of doing complicated and labor intensive recipes.  I am more than capable . . . but if I can find a quick and easy way of doing something and have it come out top delish, then I am all for it!    

I was watching food tv the other day  while I was dusting, as you do (doesn't everyone??) and I just caught the end of this recipe that a guy (don't even know his hame) was making and it looked simple and easy.  I kind of caught the grasp of what he was/had done and I could remember certain elements and so I kind of threw them together and this is what I came up with.  

I love brioche . . . those sweet, soft butter buns . . . so good with a nice hot drink, or warmed and spread with butter and ham . . . or nutella.   (Don't judge me!)  This recipe used those lovely little finger brioche, along with bananas caramelized under a grill.  

You slip the caramelized bananas into that sweet buttery bun, and then slather it with a rich chocolate sauce, top with toasted almonds and dust with  some icing sugar.   Easy peasy.  

Nobody has to know how quick and easy it was.  It can be our little secret.  I reckon the only way this could get better would be if you added a caramel sauce and some chopped marachino cherries.  Sounds like a banana split to me!

*Chocolate Sauced Banana Brioche Buns*
Makes 4 servings

Printable Recipe  

A quick simple dessert that will have your family licking their chops! 

For the Chocolate Sauce:
4 ounces good quality unsweetened chocolate
190g granulated sugar (1 cup )
pinch salt
1 TBS butter
230ml single cream (1 cup)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract 

you will also need:

2 small bananas

3 TBS golden Caster Sugar

4 brioche finger rolls

1 rounded TBS of toasted flaked almonds

Icing sugar to dust

Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream to serve 

First make the chocolate sauce.  Place the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, over simmering water. (Or a bowl that will fit over a saucepan without the bottom touching the simmering water underneath)  Melt slowly, stirring occasionally.  Once the chocolate has melted place the top of the double boiler directly on the burner, over low heat, and whisk in the sugar, butter, salt and single cream.  Cook and whisk to combine and melt the butter.  Increase the heat to medium and cook for a further 4 minutes or so (without allowing the mixture to boil) until the sauce thickens.  Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla. Keep warm. 

Preheat the grill to high.  Peel the bananas and cut in half lengthwise.  Place them onto a lined baking sheet. Sprinkle evenly with the caster sugar.  Pop under the grill and grill them until the sugar melts and begins to caramelize. Keep an eye on them as it won't take very long.  You don't want the bananas cooked, just glazed.  While this is happening, warm the brioche in a hot oven. 

Take four dessert plates.  Top each with a warm brioche which you have sliced down the middle almost all the way through.  Place a glazed banana in the centre of each.  Drizzle with some chocolate sauce and toss some flaked almonds over each.  Dust with icing sugar.  Serve immediately with either a dollop of whipped cream on top or a scoop of ice cream.  You can pour more chocolate sauce over the ice cream if you wish. 

Note - This will make a lot of chocolate sauce, but no worries as it keeps well in the fridge.  Just reheat gently to use.