Banana Cream Pastries from Great American Home Baking

Makes 6 servings

1 sheet frozen puff pastry thawed according to package directions.

Filling
1 cup sugar
1 cup orange juice
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup confectionary sugar
3 medium bananas, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon frozen, thawed orange juice concentrate
2 cups whipped cream

Garnish with orange slices or sprigs of fresh mint.

1. to prepare filling, in a medium saucepan, bring sugar, orange juice, water, cornstarch, and salt to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook stirring constantly, kuntil just thickened, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Stir beaten egg yolks into juice mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, 4 minutes. Stir in melted butter. Remove from heat. Place a piece of plastic wrap on surface of filling. Chill for 1 hour.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with waxed paper. Spray underside of a second large baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray.

4. On a floured surface, roll pastry into a 15-inch square. Cut into eighteen 4 x 3 inch rectangles. Place pastry on prepared baking sheet. Place second baking sheet, coated-side down, on top.

5. Bak pastries until golden, 15- 20 minutes. Remove top sheet. Transfer baking sheet with pastries to a wire rack to cool.

6. Dust pastries with confectionary sugar. Arrange bananas on top of 6 pastries. Brush with juice concentrate.

7. Remove plastic wrap. Fold whipped cream into filling. Using a pastry bag fitted with a small star tip, pipe filling over bananas.

98. Repeat with a second pastry layer, bananas, concentrate, and filling. Top with a third layer. Pipe rosetts on top. Garnish with orange slices and mint sprigs.

Baking tip: Sandwiching pastries between baking sheets prevents them from puffing.