• Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Dessert First

a san francisco food and travel blog | all things sweet

  • About Me
    • about pastrygirl
    • faq
    • press
    • Contact Me
    • Disclosure
    • Privacy Policy
  • My Books
  • Recipes
    • Breads
    • Cakes
    • Candy
    • Chocolate
    • Cookies
    • Custards
    • Fruit
    • Ice Cream
    • Pastry
    • Tarts
  • Sweet San Francisco
    • Sweet Spots
    • SF Events
  • Travel
    • Asia
    • Europe
    • California
    • Hawaii
  • reviews and recs
    • Cookbooks
    • Chocolate
    • Tools
  • Conversions

Peanut Butter Melting Moments with Caramelized Banana Cream

Apr 16 by Anita 21 Comments

Peanut Butter Banana Melting Moments cookies

Sometimes you want something fancy and elaborate, other times you just want simple. These days, with a constantly in motion 2 year old, my taste veers decidedly towards the simple: things I can make in the hour or two of free time I get while baby is napping, treats that she can enjoy just as much as I do, like these peanut butter melting moments with banana cream.

Peanut Butter Banana Melting Moments cookies

If you’ve been on my blog before you’ll probably know that I have a deep fondness for shortbread and any sort of very tender, melt-in-your-mouth cookie. Many shortbread recipes call for confectioners’ sugar instead of regular granulated sugar or substitute some rice flour for all-purpose flour; both confectioners’ sugar and rice flour contain non-gluten starches that help keep the development of gluten in the cookies low, thus ensuring their fine, sandy, texture.

Cornstarch is a similar non-gluten starch, and is sometimes serves a similar purpose to rice flour in recipes. There are many shortbread-similar cookies around the world that use cornstarch for more tenderness; one that I’m particularly enchanted with lately is the evocatively-named melting moments from Australia. A super simple cookie made with just four ingredients, I find it’s easier to manipulate and more forgiving than the delicate shortbread, but the results are just as lovely. They have a firmer outer crust than shortbread, but the inside is beautifully tender – it’s this contrast that makes part of this cookie’s appeal.

Peanut Butter Banana Melting Moments cookies

While researching melting moments I discovered another similar cookie from Australia called yo-yo cookies, so called because they involve two cookies sandwiching a sweet filling. Yo yos are almost identical to melting moments, except they are made with custard powder instead of cornstarch. Custard powder isn’t as common a ingredient in the US, but think of powdered vanilla pudding mix and you get the idea. It’s used on its own to make an instant custard sauce, or it provides a boost of flavor to dessert recipes. Because it’s also made with cornstarch, it can provide the same tender quality to baked goods.

The cookies I ended up making are kind of hybrid of melting moments and yo-yo cookies. I added peanut butter to the cookies since Isabelle has been on a peanut butter spree lately (she wolfed these cookies down as well) so I came up with the idea of a caramelized banana pastry cream filling to spread between the cookies. Peanut butter and banana is, after all, a classic kid combination!

I tinkered around with my pastry cream recipe because I wanted it to be firm enough to pipe – if you don’t mind it being softer, you can leave the gelatin out of the recipe. Or, I think next time I might keep things even simpler and make a basic confectioners’ sugar buttercream and add in the banana. Either way, it’s a kid-and-adult-friendly flavor pairing – simple yet still elegant, with a bit of nostalgia mixed in. Tickle your inner child’s tastebuds.

Peanut Butter Banana Melting Moments cookies

Peanut Butter Melting Moments with Caramelized Banana Cream
 
Print
Author: Anita Chu
Recipe type: cookie
Serves: about 40 cookies
Ingredients
CARAMELIZED BANANA PASTRY CREAM
  • 2 ripe medium bananas
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon powdered gelatin
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup (170 g) heavy cream
PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
  • ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 50 g peanut butter
  • 50 g confectioners' sugar
  • 115 g all-purpose flour
  • 50 g cornstarch
Instructions
FOR THE PASTRY CREAM:
  1. Cut bananas into ¼" thick slices and place in a sauté pan. Sprinkle with the brown sugar.
  2. Cook on medium heat, stirring to prevent burning, for about 5 minutes, until the sugar has melted and caramelized around the bananas. Let cool while you make the pastry cream.
  3. Combine milk and ¼ cup of the sugar in a medium saucepan. Heat on the stove over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and bubbles appear on the edge of the pan.
  4. Sprinkle the gelatin over 2 teaspoons of water in a small bowl and let bloom.
  5. Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks and remaining ¼ cup sugar in a bowl.
  6. Whisk the cornstarch into the egg yolk mixture until combined.
  7. Pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from cooking.
  8. Return the entire mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens. Add in the gelatin and stir to make sure it fully dissolves. Stir in the vanilla.
  9. Scrape the pastry cream into a food processor. Add the caramelized bananas and process until fully blended and very smooth.
  10. Scrape the pastry cream into a clean container, press a piece of plastic wrap to the surface, and refrigerate until needed.
  11. When you are ready to use the pastry cream, whip the cream in a mixer to soft peaks, and then fold gently into the pastry cream to lighten.
FOR THE COOKIES:
  1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Beat butter, peanut butter, and confectioners' sugar together in a stand mixer until light and fluffy.
  3. Sift together the flour and cornstarch. Add to the stand mixer and beat until the dough comes together into a smooth mass (it may look crumbly at first, keep beating.)
  4. Roll small teaspoons (about 10 g weight) of dough into balls. They will look small but these cookies are meant to be small. Place about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets.
  5. Press down on each ball with a fork dipped in flour to flatten.
  6. Bake for about 13-15 minutes, rotating halfway through, until firm and golden brown at the edges. Let cool on wire racks.
3.3.3070

Filed Under: Cookies, Recipes Tagged With: banana, cookie, melting moments, pastry cream, peanut butter, yo yo

Related Posts

  • Totoro Cookie Box FlatlayTotoro Cookie Box
  • Italian Cherry TartItalian Cherry Tart and Nonna Box Review
  • Gingerbread Thumbprint Cookies with Salted CaramelGingerbread Thumbprint Cookies with Salted Caramel
  • Peach Plum Tart with Cinnamon Pastry CreamPeach Plum Tart with Cinnamon Vanilla Pastry Cream
  • Berry Cheesecake TartHappy Summer: Berry Tart with Cheesecake Pastry Cream
« {Weekend Break}: San Francisco Chocolate Salon
Happy Birthday to Me: Strawberry Rose Fraisier »

Comments

  1. 1

    emi says

    Apr 18 at 2:19 pm

    yum!! love the name of your blog, and that you’re SF-based!

    xoxo
    welltraveledwife.com

    Reply
    • 2

      Anita says

      Apr 20 at 11:54 am

      Thanks, can’t wait to check out your blog!

      Reply
  2. 3

    Brenda says

    Apr 22 at 10:24 am

    These sound amazing. How perfect for a petite dessert for a party! I absolutely love it. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  3. 4

    Jaime says

    Apr 22 at 10:48 am

    Those look delicious! Bananas and peanut butter, my daughter would love these.

    Reply
  4. 5

    Logan Can says

    Apr 22 at 10:56 am

    These look delicious and are so pretty. They would be great for showers and parties. 🙂

    Reply
  5. 6

    Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes says

    Apr 22 at 11:07 am

    I also have a love for shortbread – I might even say it’s my favorite kind of cookie. These look irresistible!

    Reply
  6. 7

    Kendra says

    Apr 22 at 11:14 am

    I love peanut butter cookies and these look amazing!

    Reply
  7. 8

    Miss Angie says

    Apr 22 at 11:58 am

    Those look so delicious! Need to pin this one.

    Reply
  8. 9

    The Food Hunter says

    Apr 22 at 1:22 pm

    This is an awesome combination!

    Reply
  9. 10

    Usha says

    Apr 22 at 2:43 pm

    Looks so good. I’m going to try this soon!

    Reply
  10. 11

    Martha @ A Family Feast says

    Apr 22 at 5:48 pm

    What perfect little cookies! I’ll take a dozen! (just for me please!) 😉

    Reply
  11. 12

    Kirsten/ComfortablyDomestic says

    Apr 22 at 7:29 pm

    Wow, Anita. You really outdid yourself with these sandwich cookies. Using confectioner’s sugar in cookie dough gives an exceptional mouth feel.

    Reply
  12. 13

    good rooftop restaurants in jaipur says

    Apr 23 at 12:03 am

    I had it two days before. was awesome in taste.thanks for post

    Reply
  13. 14

    [email protected] Mom says

    Apr 23 at 4:12 am

    You are quite the baker! The cookies look beyond perfect! Love that twist on the cream with banana!

    Reply
  14. 15

    Marjory @ Dinner-Mom says

    Apr 23 at 4:44 am

    These are definitely melt in your mouth delish!

    Reply
  15. 16

    Lora @cakeduchess says

    Apr 23 at 10:16 am

    Love peanut butter cookies. This is a fabulous recipe!!

    Reply
  16. 17

    Paula - bell'alimento says

    Apr 23 at 1:23 pm

    Simple is always good! These look amazin.

    Reply
  17. 18

    Heather Denniston says

    Apr 25 at 5:45 pm

    Fabulous photos. Really good!

    Reply
  18. 19

    Renee - Kudos Kitchen says

    Apr 27 at 6:15 am

    I learned a lot about gluten free ingredients while reading your post. Thanks for the information regarding cornstarch, confectioners sugar and rice flour. Very interesting. These cookies look so tender and light. I can see why your little girl gobbled them right up!

    Reply
  19. 20

    Homemade & Yummy says

    May 20 at 4:17 pm

    These sound really good. Nice treat….break…..just because….even to put on a brunch menu. Thanks

    Reply
  20. 21

    sudhakar says

    Jul 11 at 3:46 am

    These look fantastic. I’ve had a thing for cooking with bananas recently. I recently made pastry cream with desiccated coconut and it was great especially warm.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating





About Me
Mentions in the Press
Want to go to pastry school?
Email me

subscribe to receive posts in your inbox

Archives

best of dessert first


The Making of Macarons (Sucre Cuit Style)

Hong Kong Eggettes (Daan Jai) for Mom


Tis the Season

A Better Brioche for World Bread Day


Consider the Humble Chocolate Chip Cookie

A Feast of Figs


Pure Dessert, Pure Inspiration

My Own Remembrance of Things Past: Dan Tats


The Slow Drip of Coffee on a Languorous Summer's Day

Still Life of Strawberry Tart

disclosure

This site uses affiliate links. Purchasing through the links will give this site commissions. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

about pastrygirl

Anita Chu, also known as pastrygirl, is a baker, writer, and photographer with a passion for pastry. She trained at Tante Marie's Cooking School and is the author of Field Guide to Cookies, Field Guide to Candy, and Lollipop Love. Anita lives in San Francisco with her husband, baby girl, and rescue cockapoo Snickerdoodle. More about pastrygirl

my latest cookbook


My newest cookbook, Lollipop Love, is now out!

stay connected

Subscribe to new posts by email

  • home
  • my books
  • recipes
  • sweet san francisco
  • reviews
  • conversions
  • shop
  • archives
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

© 2006–2023 Anita Chu. All Rights Reserved. Design by Deluxe Designs