Banana & Chocolate Mousse Cake with Sesame Caramel, Créme Fraiche and Tahini Ice Cream

OLIVES
New York City
Pastry Chef Lincoln Carson
Adapted by StarChefs

Yield: 6-8 Servings

Equipment:

5 quart KitchenAid mixer
1 candy thermometer
1 halfsheet pan
1 pastry brush

Banana Cake:

8 ounces of sugar
4 ounces butter, room temperature
4 eggs
1 ounce cake flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
6 large over ripe bananas
4 ounces sour cream
1 vanilla bean, seeded

In mixer on medium speed, cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs slowly and scrape down bowl completely. Sift dry ingredients and mix in halfway on slow speed. Add vanilla & sour cream. Mix 10 seconds. Add banana in pieces and mix until thoroughly incorporated (scrape down bowl halfway through). Scale into 9 1/2’ x 12’ baking pan & bake @ 325° F until done. Let cakes cool completely before slicing in three sheets. Thin layers per sheet pan.

Tahini Syrup:

8 ounces water
6 ounces simple syrup
1 ounce tahini

Mix with a hand blender
(reserve to use as soak for cake)

Mousse:

2 cups heavy cream
7 ounces 70% Scharfenberger chocolate
4 ounces egg yolk
4 ounces sugar

Whip cream to soft peaks. Reserve to refrigerator. In a microwave or over a double boiler melt chocolate (keep it warm/hot approximately 120° F). In a heavy bottomed pot, combine sugar with just enough cold water to come to wet sand consistency. Cook over high heat. When sugar comes to a boil, start yolks whipping on high speed. Continue cooking. Sugar to softball. When softball is reached, pour sugar into mixer being careful to keep sugar away from moving whip. Whip to full volume. Fold whipped cream into melted chocolate, folding quickly to avoid seizing chocolate. Fold whipped yolks into this mixture in thirds.

Assemble cake sheets. Should be oriented so cut sides are facing out (layers on bottom & top of three total layers should be facing outwards). Using a brush, soak the first layer with tahini syrup and spread an even 1/2 inch of mousse across cake. Repeat with second cake layer of syrup and mousse. Finish with third layer of cake and soak. Freeze before slicing.

Sesame Caramel:

8 ounces sugar
3 ounces cream
3 ounces white sesame seeds

In a heavy pot on medium flame, begin a dry caramel with several tablespoons of sugar. As it melts, continue adding more sugar. Stirring to melt evenly, repeat process, slowly adding all of the sugar until a light caramel is achieved. Add the sesame seeds and cook until caramel is medium dark and seeds are lightly toasted. Remove from heat and carefully stir in cream. Reserve to refrigerator.

Ice Cream Base:

8 ounces half and half
8 ounces cream
1 ounces sugar
1 egg yolk
2 vanilla beans
Tahini paste (Sahadi brand preferred)

Bring cream, half and half and vanilla to a boil. Liason with yolks and cook until thickened. Cool in an ice bath and pass through a chinois.
Add 2 ounces tahini per 24 ounces ice cream base and freeze according to ice cream machine directions.

To Complete Plate:

• crème fraiche
• sesame caramel