Yes, We Have No Bananas

And here's why!

I have been burning through the bananas lately. I should really switch to a different fruit before I get sick of them. This week, I have eaten 2 batches of banana coconut muffins, had a double-banana poundcake recipe TOTALLY FAIL (grrr...), eaten a banana a day with lunch...and now this.

I have been on a childhood-food-memory kick. I am remembering foods that I hadn't thought about, much less eaten, in twenty years! Today's memory is something that I always looked forward to in my lunch bag during school when I knew Mom and Dad had gotten their hands on some....banana flips.

I skipped the banana flavoring (I assume extract) in the cream in favor of....yes, you guessed it...sliced banana. I also noticed that my sponge cake isn't as sweet as I'd like it to be, so if I make this again I will definitely up the sugar.

Banana Flips

From my head

For the "flip:"

4 eggs, separated

10 tbsp sugar (add more if you like your sponge cake sweet)

1/2 cup cornstarch

4 tbsp potato starch

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

For the filling:

1 cup heavy cream

A bunch o' bananas (or 1/4 tsp banana extract added to the heavy cream before mixing)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a jelly roll sheet by spraying with cooking spray, then laying down a piece of parchment paper large enough to cover the entire pan, and the spray the parchment paper (this will ensure the paper stays in place when you put the batter on and spread it out). Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks, half of the sugar, and vanilla together until well blended. In another large bowl (preferably the one on your stand mixer), whip those egg whites with the remaining sugar until they reach the hard peak stage. Take a small scoop of the whites and gently fold it into the yolks (fold, not stir!) to lighten the yolk mixture until all the whites are blended in. Then add the remaining whites in thirds.

Sift the dry ingredients into the egg mixture and gently fold it in.

Scoop 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the batter onto the prepared pan. Using an offset spatula, spread the batter out to a 6" circle. Repeat, leaving at least an inch of space between each batter circle. Bake until the center of the circles spring back when touched and the edges are just starting to brown, about 5 minutes.

Allow the sponge circles to cool for a minute or two on the pan and then quickly, while they are still warm!, drape them over a rolling pin so they bend in the middle. Allow them to cool in that position.

Shortly before serving, whip the whipped cream (and banana extract, if desired) until it holds soft peaks. If you are like me and prefer the real thing, slice a banana; lay the slices on the inside of the flip and then fill with the whipped cream.

Because I got a new nutmeg mill today, I felt the need to sprinkle a little on my banana flip. Anyone else like that? Do you feel a burning need to use a new appliance, toy, whatever as soon as you get it out of the box?

Heaven. I think I know why I was always a little heavier when I was a kid. Knee caps and banana flips.