The festive season is a time of celebration, nostalgia, and comfort, and this comfort is what we often seek in the food we make. Think of nostalgia wrapped in besan laddoos and indulgent brownies that you and your siblings made during Christmas. To capture this very essence of comfort and memories delicately wrapped in love, we’re here with Chef’s Corner: unstumbled’s cozy culinary corner, where notable chefs share their heartfelt recipes for you to make at home. In this article, Chef Sarfaraz Ahmed, Head Chef at Tresind and Corporate Chef for Passion F&B India, shared a delicious, decadent recipe: the Banana Upside Down!
Chef Sarfaraz Ahmed Is Here To Elevate Your Christmas Spirit With A Banana Upside Down
From Shimla To Dubai And Kuwait To Mumbai: Chef Sarfaraz’s Illustrious Journey
Chef Sarfaraz Ahmed is the Head Chef at Tresind and now Corporate Chef for Passion F&B India. Having his roots in scenic Shimla, he has trained at the esteemed Institute of Hotel Management, Lucknow.
Chef Sarfaraz Ahmed refined his skills and ignited his passion for cooking in five-star hotel kitchens. He then joined the pre-opening team of Tresind in Dubai and later in Kuwait. His culinary expertise eventually led him back to his home country, where he now oversees the dining experience at Tresind Mumbai.
He is the creative force behind some of India’s most celebrated dining destinations, such as the award-winning Avatara and Carnival by Tresind. As the Head Chef at the latter fine dining restaurant, he brings his passion, vision, and storytelling into every minute detail of the dining experience.
Chef Sarfaraz blends his artistry with precision, understanding not just flavors and presentation, but also adding a modern twist to traditional cuisines.
Also Read: Best Christmas Markets In India: 7 Best Markets To Celebrate The Joy Of The Season
Banana Upside Down: Creamy, Decadent, And An Irresistible Christmas Dessert!
Chef Sarfaraz Ahmed shared with us a recipe for the Banana Upside Down, and if we’re being honest, it did spike our curiosity. While Christmas often calls for mulled wine, rum cakes, and chocolate-drizzled treats, Chef Sarfaraz Ahmed’s Banana Upside Down is a detour, and an indulgent one if we’re being honest! It’s creamy, comforting, and nostalgic, balancing homely comfort with refined elegance.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the recipe of this delicious dessert – a dish so good, you may consider trading your soul for a slice!
Components of the Banana Upside Down:
- Banana Upside Down Cake
- Burnt Chocolate Ice Cream
- Crumble
Also Read: 5 Must-Try Spots For The Best Hot Chocolate In Mumbai
Making The Banana Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter: 15 gm
- Condensed milk: 45 gm
- Warm water: 23 gm
- Flour: 25 gm
- Baking powder: 0.5 gm
- Baking soda: 0.5 gm
- Sugar (for caramel): 100 gm
- Banana: 1 piece
Method
- Combine warm water, condensed milk, and unsalted butter in a bowl till the butter forms a homogenous mixture.
- Cool the mixture till it reaches room temperature.
- Weigh the rest of the dry ingredients and add them to the cooled mixture.
- Whisk these ingredients till well mixed.
- In a pan, caramelize the sugar until golden.
- Pour the caramel into a ramekin bowl and line it with banana slices.
- Pour the batter into 3/4th of the ramekin.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C.
- Place the ramekin in a bain marie (double boiler) and bake at 170°C for 15 minutes.
- Let the ramekin cool down. Put them in hot water or microwave for a minute. Then flip the ramekin upside down for de-moulding the cake.
Making Burnt Chocolate Ice Cream
Ingredients
- Milk: 500 ml
- Cream: 500 ml
- Dulche chocolate: 250 gm
- Dulce de leche (caramelized milk): 50 gm
- Glucose: 75 gm
- Stabilizer: 5 gm
Method
- Preheat the oven to 150°C.
- Spread the chocolate on a tray and heat for about 10 to 12 minutes. Heat till it is caramelized, slightly golden, and aromatic!
- Transfer to a Thermomix or blender and blend until smooth.
- Now add milk, cream, glucose, stabilizer, and dulce de leche into a saucepan.
- Bring the milk-cream mixture to a light boil while constantly whisking to activate the stabilizer and make the mixture lump-free.
- While blending caramelized chocolate, slowly pour the hot milk-cream mixture into the blender in a steady stream.
- Blend until completely emulsified, glossy, and smooth.
Making The Crumble
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter: 125 gm
- Flour: 125 gm
- Almond flour: 50 gm
- Brown sugar: 60 gm
- Salt: 1 pinch
Method
- Mix dry ingredients in a bowl – combine flour, almond flour, brown sugar, and salt.
- Add cold butter cubes.
- Rub with fingertips or mix with a paddle attachment until the texture turns crumbly and sandy.
- Spread the mixture evenly onto a baking tray.
- Bake at 160°C for 20 minutes or until lightly golden and aromatic.
With all components ready, plate them as shown above, and your Banana Upside Down is ready to be served!
This Christmas, it’s time to toss things upside down in the kitchen and make yourself a creamy, sweet, and indulgent Banana Upside Down, a delicious recipe shared by Chef Sarfaraz! With his creative excellence and a step-by-step guide on how to make it, we’re sure you’ll have a fun time making it on your own.
Keep coming back to unstumbled Chef’s Corner to find more such interesting, chef-approved recipes that can elevate the simplest of occasions!
