Banana Puff by Adriano Zumbo

Craquelin Sable

Yield: 380 g

• 120 g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 60 g granulated sugar
• 60 g brown sugar
• 140 g all-purpose flour

1. Combine the butter and sugars and beat until lightened.
2. Add the flour and mix to form a dough.
3. Place the dough between two silicone baking mats or sheets of baking paper and roughly spread it out.
4. Chill in the refrigerator for one hour.
5. Roll out to 0.08 inches (2 mm) on a dough sheeter or by hand.
6. Place in the refrigerator.
7. Once cool, cut discs using a 2.4-inch (6 cm) round cutter and return the craquelin to the refrigerator.

Choux Pastry

Yield: 553 g

• 95 g water
• 95 g milk
• 95 g unsalted butter
• 8 g invert sugar
• 4 g salt
• 108 g all-purpose flour
• 148 g whole eggs

1. In a saucepan, place the water, milk, butter, sugar and salt and bring to a boil.
2. Add the flour and stir constantly until the mixture thickens and pulls away from the sides.
3. Cook for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute to strengthen the gluten, then transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
4. Beat on medium speed until 60% of the heat is released.
5. Slowly add the whole eggs bit by bit until you achieve a glossy paste that should just fall off the beater when lifted.
6. Fill a piping bag fitted with a 0.43-inch (11 mm) tip.
7. Pipe 2.4-inch (6 cm) diameter rounds of the choux paste onto a baking tray with no paper. A heavy iron tray with no sides is ideal.
8. Place a disc of the Craquelin Sablé on top of each round and bake at 330°F (165°C) in a convection oven or 375°F (190˚C) in a deck oven.
9. Bake until puffed and golden. The choux pastry should feel hollow when lifted off the tray.
10. Remove from oven, run a metal scraper underneath each choux bun to release it from the tray and set them aside to cool.

Sesame Praline

Yield: 408 g

• 240 g sesame seeds, toasted
• 160 g granulated sugar
• 3 g sunflower lecithin
• 2 g Tahitian Gold® Ground Vanilla Beans
• 4 g sesame oil
• 3 g salt
• Grapeseed oil, as needed

1. Place all the ingredients except the grapeseed oil into a Thermomix® or Robot Coupe® and blend until a paste forms.
2. Add grapeseed oil to adjust the consistency if the paste seems a little dry.
3. Pipe into 0.98-inch (2.5 cm) silicone half-sphere molds and freeze the paste until solid.
4. Unmold and store in the freezer until ready for assembly.

Banana Compote

Yield: 517 g

• 200 g bananas, diced
• 20 g unsalted butter
• 20 g malted milk powder
• 40 g granulated sugar
• 12 g rum
• 4 g vanilla paste
• 2 g salt
• 200 g banana puree
• 12 g passionfruit puree (seedless)
• 9 g Sosa Gelcrem Cold

1. Dry caramelize the sugar in a pan. Add the butter, malted milk powder, rum, vanilla paste and salt.
2. Place the caramel in a vacuum sealer bag with the diced bananas and seal it.
3. Keep the sealed bag in the fridge overnight or until ready to use.
4. Using a stick blender, blitz the banana and passionfruit purees with the Gelcrem until the mixture thickens.
5. Fold the banana mixture from the bag into the thickened puree mixture.

Salted Butter Caramel

Yield: 668.5 g

• 10 g Earl Grey tea
• 0.5 ea tonka bean
• 40 g banana puree
• 130 g heavy cream, 35% fat
• 68 g water
• 38 g glucose syrup
• 175 g granulated sugar
• 35 g Valrhona Caramélia 36% Chocolate
• 20 g gelatin mass, 5:1
• 115 g unsalted butter
• 25 g hazelnut paste, 100%
• 4 g sea salt
• 8 g vanilla paste

1. Cold infuse the tea and tonka bean in the banana puree for 24 hours.
2. Strain before proceeding.
3. Heat the cream and banana puree in a microwave or saucepan
4. Place the water, glucose syrup and sugar in a saucepan and cook until dark amber in color. 
5. Deglaze the caramelized sugar with the cream mixture; continue cooking to 226˚F (108˚C).
6. Remove the caramel from the heat and let the caramel cool slightly.
7. Add the chocolate and gelatin mass and stir to dissolve.
8. Cool to 113°F (45˚C).
9. Add the butter, hazelnut paste, sea salt and vanilla paste.
10. Using a stick blender, combine the ingredients until smooth and well-emulsified.
11. Pour the mixture into a container, cover with cling film and reserve until set.

Banana Caramel Chocolate Chantilly

Yield: 573.5 g

• 400 g heavy cream, 35% fat
• 5 g Earl Grey tea
• 0.5 each tonka bean
• 5 g black licorice logs (candy)
• 30 g malted milk powder
• 50 g banana puree
• 8 g gelatin mass, 5:1
• 40 g Valrhona Dulcey® 35% Blond Couverture
• 30 g milk chocolate, 40%
• 2 g salt
• 3 g vanilla paste

1. Cold infuse the Earl Grey tea and the tonka bean in the heavy cream for 24 – 48 hours.
2. Strain and reweigh the cream to account for the absorption of liquid.
3. Heat the infused cream, licorice, malted milk powder and banana puree to 158°F (70˚C) in a saucepan.
4. Add gelatin mass and stir to dissolve.
5. Pour the mixture over the chocolates in a tall container and blend with a stick blender until emulsified.
6. Mix in the salt and vanilla.
7. Cover and store in the fridge overnight.

Banana Passion Creme

Yield: 380 g

• 70 g banana puree
• 20 b passionfruit puree
• 6 g black licorice logs (candy)
• 76 granulated sugar
• 8 g Sosa Gelcrem Hot
• 100 g whole eggs
• 100 g unsalted butter

1. Place all the ingredients except the butter into a saucepan and cook to 185°F (85°C).
2. Cool to 113°F (45˚C) and blend in the butter until well-emulsified and smooth.
3. Pipe into 0.98-inch (2.5 cm) silicone sphere molds.

Yellow Chocolate Coating

Yield: 605 g

• 500 g white chocolate couverture
• 50 g coconut oil, deodorized
• 50 g hazelnut paste, 100%
• 3 g yellow coloring, fat-soluble
• 2 g salt

1. Melt everything together.
2. Use at 95°F (35°C).

Dark Chocolate Discs

• 350 g Valrhona Manjari 66% Dark Chocolate
• Flaky sea salt, as needed

1. Temper the dark chocolate
2. Spread onto guitar sheets 0.04 – 0.08-inch (1-2 mm) thick
3. When the chocolate just begins to crystallize, cut it with a 2.75-inch (70 mm) round cutter.
4. Place a sheet of baking paper on top of the chocolate, then flip the sheets over onto a baking tray so that the guitar sheet is on top.
5. Place another baking tray on top of the sheet of chocolate to weigh it down and keep it from curling up as it contracts.

Zumbaron Base Shells

Yield: 938 g

• 225 g almond flour
• 2 g salt
• 225 confectioners’ sugar
• 190 g egg whites, divided
• 2 g cream of tartar
• 8 g Sosa Albuwhip
• 225 g granulated sugar
• 75 g water
• 6 g food coloring

1. Place the almond flour, salt and confectioners’ sugar in a food processor and process them to a fine powder.
2. Place the mixture into a large bowl.
3. Put 85 grams of the egg whites, the cream of tartar and the Albuwhip in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment.
4. Cook the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil.
5. Add the food coloring at this stage if using liquid coloring.
6. Continue cooking the sugar until it reaches 250°F (121°C).
7. When you reach the desired temperature, turn the electric mixer on to medium-high speed and whisk the egg whites until lightly frothy.
8. Slowly pour the hot sugar down the sides of the bowl.
9. Once all of the sugar syrup has been added, whisk until the meringue has cooled to around 122°F (50°C) and set aside.
10.  Add the remaining 85 g of egg whites and the coloring (if using a powdered color) to the almond flour and confectioners’ sugar.
11. Fold the Italian meringue into the almond flour mixture.
12. Continue to fold until the mixture begins to loosen. When the mixture falls slowly off a spatula, it is the right texture.
13. Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a 0.4-inch (11 mm) plain tip and pipe 2-inch (5 cm) rounds of the batter onto a baking paper- or silicone mat-lined tray. Leave a 1.18-inch (3 cm) gap between each Zumbaron.
14. Tap the tray slightly to rid the Zumbarons of any excess air.
15. Preheat the oven to 338°F (170˚C).
16. Leave the Zumbarons at room temperature until a skin forms on the surface.
17. Once a skin has formed, place the Zumbarons in the oven, immediately lower the temperature to 302°F (150°C) and bake for 12 – 15 minutes.
18. Once the Zumbarons are firm to the touch, remove them from the oven and leave to cool.

Assembly

• Toasted sesame seeds
• Toasted hazelnuts

1. Cut a 1-inch (2.54 cm) hole in the flat side (bottom) of each choux puff.
2. Dip the choux buns in the Yellow Chocolate Coating, craquelin side down, then lightly sprinkle the coated craquelin side with some toasted sesame seeds.
3. Place the dipped choux puffs, dipped side down, on a 3.9-inch x 3.9-inch (10x10cm) square cake board. Use an additional small amount of Yellow Chocolate Coating to stick them to the cake board. You can spray them with a little cold spray if you need them to set quickly.
4. Pipe the Banana Compote into the holes you cut in the flat side of the choux puffs, filling the puffs about halfway.
5. Press the Sesame Praline inserts into the banana layer inside of the choux buns.
6. Pipe the Salted Butter Caramel inside the choux buns to cover the sesame inserts and fill to the top.
7. Chill to set.
8. Whip the Banana Caramel Chocolate Chantilly until smooth and stable and transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a French star tip.
9. Pipe a dot of the chantilly on the top of the set caramel and top with a dark chocolate disc, pushing down gently to secure it.
10. Pipe an oversized spiral rosette on the top of the disc about two layers high.
11. Push the frozen Banana Passion Crème insert into the top of the chantilly and pipe a small dab of the chantilly on top to seal in the crème.
12. Place some toasted chopped hazelnuts abstractly on the sides of the chantilly rosette.
13. Place a Zumbaron shell on the top to finish.
14. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

(This recipe appeared in the Winter 2025 issue of Pastry Arts Magazine)