Banana Fritters

1 c. chopped, packed ripe bananas (approximately 2 medium)
3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. cornstarch or potato starch
1/4 c. sweetened shredded coconut (or up to 1/2 cup, if desired)
2 tbsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup buttermilk, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Blend all ingredients. 
Deep fry in peanut or corn oil.  Heat oil to 375°.  Fry for 2 minutes, turn in oil, fry another 1 minute.

These are good by themselves, or could be dusted with sugar and cinnamon.

Stabilized Whipped Cream and Cheese Frosting

An amazing frosting that goes great on many cakes.  I developed it for the Strawberry milk cake.  The gelatin helps hold it together.

Frosting
1 package cream cheese
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
2 c. heavy whipping cream
1 package gelatin

Frosting Preparation
This frosting uses the gelatin as a stabilizer.  It will set sort of like jell-o and needs to be sculpted onto the cake relatively soon after mixing.  Once it sets, you can't really un-set it and re-sculpt.

Begin beating the cream cheese with the sugar, almond extract and vanilla until it's loose and whipped.  Pour in the cream and beat on high until stiff peaks start forming.  In a separate bowl, put 2 tbsp of water and gently sprinkle the contents of the gelatin pouch into it.  Let it sit for a minute or two and 'bloom'.  Mix it around, add another tsp of water if needed to get it into a semi-paste like consistency.  Microwave for 8-10 seconds to liquefy it.  Do NOT get this too hot!

Mix the liquified gelatin into the whipped cream frosting mix and continue beating on high until it starts stiffening up and not running.  It's now ready to frost the cake.

Strawberry Milk Cake

4th iteration
Cake
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 c. cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

2/3 c. scalded milk
1/4 c. butter

3 c. fresh strawberry puree
2 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp pink food dye powder

Frosting
1 package cream cheese
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
2 c. heavy whipping cream
1 package gelatin

Oven at 350°
Butter and grease 2 9-inch round cake pans.
Wash and hull the strawberries.  Use a blender or food processor to puree them until you have 3 c. of puree.  From that take 1/3 c. and set aside. This will be mixed into the milk for the liquid part of the cake.
Cream the eggs, sugar and vanilla.
In separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, pink food dye powder.
Measure a half cup of milk and combine with the half cup of strawberry puree.  In a small pot, heat until it's nearly boiling, then remove from heat.  Cut in the butter and let it melt.

Beat the flour mix into the egg mix.  Add in the milk and strawberry mixture.  Blend well until it's a thick batter.  Pour evenly between the two pans.

Bake for 35 minutes or until firm

Remove from heat and pans, let the cakes cool completely before preparing the frosting.

Frosting Preparation
This frosting uses the gelatin as a stabilizer.  It will set sort of like jell-o and needs to be sculpted onto the cake relatively soon after mixing.  Once it sets, you can't really un-set it and re-sculpt.

Begin beating the cream cheese with the sugar, almond extract and vanilla until it's loose and whipped.  Pour in the cream and beat on high until stiff peaks start forming.  In a separate bowl, put 2 tbsp of water and gently sprinkle the contents of the gelatin pouch into it.  Let it sit for a minute or two and 'bloom'.  Mix it around, add another tsp of water if needed to get it into a semi-paste like consistency.  Microwave for 8-10 seconds to liquefy it.  Do NOT get this too hot!

Mix the liquified gelatin into the whipped cream frosting mix and continue beating on high until it starts stiffening up and not running.  It's now ready to frost the cake.

Assembly
Using a long bread knife, carefully slice the two cakes in half length-wise.  This will give you 4 thin layers of cake.  Place the first layer on the serving platter and then pour half of the remaining strawberry puree over it.  spread it evenly.  Place another layer of cake.

Put a generous layer of frosting on top of the second layer of cake.  I make it about 1/2 an inch thick.  spread evenly.  Place another layer of cake (the third).  On top of that spread the remaining strawberry puree.  Add the last layer of cake.  Dollop-out the rest of the frosting.  It should be light and easily spreadable, but hold its shape thanks to the gelatin.  Spread evenly over the top and coat the sides. 

Slice up whole strawberries and decorate the top of the cake with them.  Serve after chilling for an hour.  

This cake freezes exceptionally well.  Slice it up into pieces and it can be stored for several months with pieces of wax paper separating the pieces.

3rd iteration

Cake
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 c. flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 c. scalded milk
1/4 c. butter

3 c. fresh strawberry puree (minus 1/2 c. to be mixed w/ milk)
2 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp pink food dye powder

Frosting
1 package cream cheese
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
2 c. heavy whipping cream
1 package gelatin

2nd iteration

Cake
2 eggs
1 3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 c. flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

1 c. scalded strawberry milk
1/4 c. butter

3 c. fresh strawberry puree
2 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp pink food dye powder

Frosting
1 package cream cheese
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
2 c. heavy whipping cream

Dacquoise

https://www.saveur.com/mocha-dacquoise-cake-recipe

Alex's Egg Custard Tarts

Ingredients

1 recipe pate-sablee-french-shortcrust
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp (80g) white sugar
1/3 cup (150g) warm water
2/3 cup (75g) evaporated milk
2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla

top with mandarin oranges

Preheat oven to 400° F and position rack in lower third of oven.

Completely dissolve the sugar in the warm water. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Roll out the pastry dough to 12 x 12 inches and cut out 9 circles using a 4 inch cookie cutter. Gently press onto tart tins or ramekins and place on baking sheet.

Whisk the eggs, egg yolk, evaporated milk and vanilla together. Stir in the room temperature sugar solution. Strain the egg mixture into a large measuring cup through a fine sieve. Carefully pour into tart shells, filling to just below the rim.

Bake at 400° F for 10-15 minutes until the edges are lightly brown. Please keep an eye on the tarts as they are baking. As soon as the custard starts to puff, you need to open the oven door 2-3 inches to prevent the filling from puffing up too much and collapsing when cooled. (Alex found this wasn't necessary.)

Once the edges start to brown, reduce the heat to 350F and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the custard is done. You can test the filling by inserting a toothpick into the custard, if it can stand on its own, it’s done.

Linne Tart & Pastry Crust

This is a fantastic, buttery crust.  Not quite suitable for quiche's, but great for a tart or pie.  Not flaky, more granular, shortbread-like.

Ingredients

1 cups (130 g) all purpose flour
1 small egg
1/2 tsp. salt (skip if using salted butter)
1 tsp. sugar (for sweet recipes, otherwise skip)
1 stick unsalted butter
1/4 cup (~60 ml) sour cream (full fat, NOT light sour cream)

Method

Oven @ 350° F.  It doesn't need pre-baking and works fine baking all at once.  Put all the ingredients for the crust into a bowl and mix with a pastry blender until you have a firm, doughy consistency.  You can chill for 20 minutes, but its not really necessary.  Roll out and press into either a 10 inch spring-form cake pan or a equal sized tart pan.  If you use smaller than 10 inches, you'll get a thicker crust.

Linne Butter Tart

Ingredients

Pastry crust

Filling

1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 pinches of salt
1 egg
3 tbsp sour cream
3 tbsp flour

Top with pitted cherries, or nuts, raisins, etc.

Method

Cream butter and sugar and salt, blend in the egg, sour cream and sift in the flour.

Bake at 375° F for 24 minutes.