Eleven Madison Park's Chocolate-Covered Banana-Crème Fraîche Ice-Cream Bar

Ingredients:

Ice cream bars:
2 cups milk
1 cup cream
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
1 cup sugar
5 egg yolks
1 very ripe banana, mashed
1 tablespoon crème de banane liqueur
1⁄4 cup crème fraîche

Chocolate-macadamia glaze:
1⁄2 cup macadamia nuts
12 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3 tablespoons canola oil

Procedures:

Ice cream:
Bring the milk, cream, vanilla bean, and half of the sugar to a boil in a saucepan.

Meanwhile, whisk together the yolks and the remaining sugar in a bowl. Gradually stir the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks, 1⁄3 cup at a time, to heat the yolks without cooking them. When one third of the cream mixture has been added, pour that mixture into the remaining hot cream, whisking constantly, off the heat, until thickened slightly.

Strain the hot custard through a fine sieve, transfer to a cool, clean container, and set over ice. When it's cold, stir in the banana, crème de banane, and crème fraîche. Transfer to an ice-cream machine, and process according to directions.

Spray an 8-inch square cake pan lightly with Pam. Line the pan with plastic wrap (the Pam will help the plastic adhere to the inside of the pan instead of the ice cream). Spread the soft ice cream into the pan evenly. Freeze overnight or until solid. Prepare glaze and assemble.

Chocolate-macadamia glaze:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toast the macadamia nuts on a sheet pan in the oven until they are golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Let cool, and chop. Melt the chocolates together in a bowl set over simmering water. When they're fully melted, stir in the canola oil and the macadamia nuts. (May be prepared up to one week ahead.)

Assembly:
Remove the ice cream from the freezer, and gently lift the plastic wrap to unmold the ice cream. Quickly cut nine 2 1⁄2-inch squares, set on a pan covered with plastic wrap, and return to the freezer. If the glaze has cooled, heat it gently over a water bath or in the microwave until it's warm and fluid but not hot.

Dunk one square of ice cream into the bowl of glaze to completely coat. Using a spatula or fork, gently remove the square, set on a plastic-wrap-lined pan, and repeat with the rest of the bars. Immediately return them to the freezer, and chill for 1 hour before serving.

Makes 9 Servings

Panera Bread Pudding with Apples, Pecans and Raisins

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 loaf Cinnamon Raisin White Bread torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup pecan halves
Zest and juice of 1 large orange
1/4 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon vanilla extract or rum
8 small baking apples (about 2 pounds) such as Fuji, Gala or Granny
Smith, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 cup apple, quince, or blackberry jam or jelly

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
3. Add the bread and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until well coated.
4. Add the sugar, pecans, orange zest and juice, cider, and vanilla extract.
5. Cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes until a sauce begins to form.
6. In a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, layer the bread mixture with the apples and dot the top with the jam or jelly.
7. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly.

Serves 4

Frozen Tiramisu

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup strong coffee (made from instant is fine)
• 3 tablespoons rum (dark or light)
• 2 (3 ounce) packages ladyfingers
• 1/2 gallon coffee ice cream, softened on microwave's defrost setting for 1 minute
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely grated
• 1 (8 ounce) container mascarpone cheese
• 3 tablespoons coffee flavored liqueur
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/3 cup half-and-half

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix coffee and rum. Line a 2-quart metal loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang. Use a pastry brush to paint the spiked coffee onto the ladyfingers. Then line the bottom and sides of the pan with ladyfingers, rounded side out.
2. Reserving 1/2 cup of chocolate for garnish, stir rest of chocolate into ice cream. Turn ice cream into loaf pan, using a rubber spatula to press ice cream evenly into pan. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 2 hours or up to 5 days.
3. When ready to serve, mix cheese, liqueur and sugar until smooth; whisk in half-and-half to form a thick but pourable sauce. Unmold dessert, using ends of plastic wrap to remove it from pan; peel away wrap. Slice loaf, drizzle with sauce and sprinkle with chocolate.