Bananas and molded chocolates

[pringle007]

I am looking to incorporate banana into several of my molded chocolates. Do most of you use a banana puree? I tried using a few fresh bananas and some confectionary sugar to make a puree, then mixing that into my ganache. I found the shelf life to be very short though..only about two weeks. Any help or tips?

[Chris Hennes]

I am looking to incorporate banana into several of my molded chocolates. Do most of you use a banana puree? I tried using a few fresh bananas and some confectionary sugar to make a puree, then mixing that into my ganache. I found the shelf life to be very short though..only about two weeks. Any help or tips?

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I think the shelf life here is primarily due to the high water content of the banana puree. Have you tried reducing it first? I generally reduce fruit purees by half before incorporating them. It changes the flavor some, so you will have to weigh that against the shelf-life benefits. Do you know the water activity of your recipe?

[K8memphis]

I mean how long do you want to keep them? Two weeks is a long time isn't it? I had some stellar chocolates that I watched Ewald Notter make in person and the loss of flavor just until the next day was astonishing. At two days of age they were not much like the fresh made chocolates, tremendous loss of flavor. And they were still real good just so much difference. I'm by no means a chocolate guru. Just some random chocolate thoughts.

So maybe you are thinking of boxed chocolates sitting on a store shelf for a while? What about using a banana flavor oil like Lorann's. You can google Lorann Oil.

Edited February 23, 2008 by K8memphis (log)

[Desiderio]

2 weeks its the general shelf life for chocolates with fruit puress etc. I make bananas ones and they definately have a shorter shelf life , wich for artisanal products is acceptable and expectable :-P

If you dont mind using artificial flavorings or liquors I would go that direction.

You can try dehydrate bananas , need to find the way to get enough flavor though.

[pringle007]

I thought about banana liqour, like 99 Bananas or something. Anyone have a nice Banana liqour they have used? I have yet to try reducing the puree, so maybe I'll do that on Monday. I did try the banana oil, and I thought it tasted artfical.

[jcho]

I reduce the fresh bananas and I add a little 99 Bananas liqueur. I get a good 2

week shelf life.

[CalumC]

What about making a strong banana consomme and reducing the liquid to a syrup. Then mix with a little reduced banana liquer?

[David J.]

I reduce the fresh bananas and I add a little 99 Bananas liqueur.  I get a good 2

week shelf life.

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Could you post your ganache recipie?

Also along these lines, has anyone made a Banana Daiquriri ganache?

[Lior]

I was also thinking about banana! I thought to reduce puree quite a lot, and then at the end add a bit of fresh banana for taste in thinking that I would over reduce my bananas. Adding some banana liqueur would increase shelf life. I have also been looking for a creme vrulee recipe if anyone wouldn't mind sharing. I have tried a few recipes and it is too sweet... People here don;t want very sweet- I have discovered.