It’s finally Friday!! Even though work has been super busy, this week went by painfully slow. I’m looking forward to the long weekend and plan on indulging in this banana trifle tonight. :-)
To celebrate my dad’s birthday over the weekend, my mom and I made him the family favorite dessert–triple layer banana cake with caramel, vanilla bean custard and buttercream frosting.
We’re only graced with this gourmet cake on special occasions–you’ll understand why when you scroll down and see the recipe. My mom has always made the dessert by herself (which can take up to 5 hours) but since I was home, I decided it was time I learned how to make the cake. Even though it still took a few hours to make with the two of us, the result was beyond worth it.
The recipe is from one of our favorite cookbooks: The Hali’imaile General Store Cookbook. We visited this restaurant during our first trip to Hawaii 12 years ago. The macadamia nut-crusted halibut with mango-lime butter sauce recipe I posted a while back also comes from the The Hali’imaile General Store Cookbook.
For my first attempt at making apple pie, I wanted to find a recipe that received rave reviews or five-stars. I came across a recipe from Cooking Light magazine that put a healthier twist on the average apple pie, but looked equally delicious.
I decided to use my own crust recipe (from Betty Crocker) because I already knew how to make and handle the dough. I followed the pie recipe almost exactly, only altering a few measurements. The recipe made too much buttermilk filling for a 9-inch pie pan and since I did not have a 10-inch pan, I only used about three-fourths of the filling. Otherwise, the pie might have overflowed.
Upon my first bite, it was difficult to tell that this recipe came from a healthy food magazine. The flavor and texture of the pie was wonderful, from the sweet cinnamon flavor of the soft Granny Smith apples to the subtle saltiness of the flakey crust. Sprinkling the streusel mixture on top added yet another dimension and texture to the pie. But how could I forget the homemade cinnamon whipped cream? My decision to add a bit of cinnamon to the cream and spoon a dollop on top of the pie was the perfect last touch, taste-wise and presentation-wise.
Next time I make apple pie, I’d like to try making one with a top crust; however, this recipe was still a winner!