The Perugina factory is the Italian answer to a Willy Wonka chocolate Factory. The smell of toasted cocoa would permeate the air for days. We just opened the windows to let the rich air come in the house, and breath it.
Of course Nestle has taken over since I was a little girl. No more Willy Wonka chocolate breeze. However, the flavors…those remain in my sense memory. Take the Chocolate Banana for example
A crunchy chocolate shell, filled with Banana cream. Super sweet, overwhelmingly rich. The kind of treat you cannot indulge on. One was plenty. However, I miss those simple pleasure. It wasn’t my intention to duplicate the long lost sensory recall of the Banana Cioccolatini, but I did!!! Surprisingly so!
These cookies are called FERROVIERI. It means Railway Workers or Pertinent to the Railroad. Once I explain the design you will understand. It will look like a train track. Pretty easy but clever.
I used Mochi Gluten Free flour that is naturally sweet, and the fresh banana in the filling melts in your mouth. The crisp chocolate drizzle on top of the biscotti does the rest. A bit crunchy, a bit creamy. A LOT Dreamy!!!!
Magnificent discovery, if you ask me.
I am sharing it with you, because it’s worth the little effort. Besides, what do you do with old, overripe Bananas?
Asking for this friend.
CHOCOLATE BANANA FERROVIERI
make about 12 to 15. I like my slices to be about 3/4 ”
Mold: A tart pan approximately 13 x 4
INGREDIENTS:
380 to 400 g Gluten free flour. ( I purchase mine from a local company Mochi Foods, ships nation wide)
The components in the mix might change, so in order to avoid a dry dough, add 350 g to start then more as needed.
150 g Coconut milk, melted lightly
1 lg egg plus one egg yolk
Zest of an orange, about 2 tsp
200 g sugar minus 2 T (reserve for filling)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
a pinch of salt
1 t vanilla paste or powder
Filling:
1 medium banana, sliced in diagonal
1 C mini chips or shaved chocolate bar of your choice
2 T reserved Sugar
3 T cocoa nibs (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
Grease lightly with coconut spry, your tart pan. Set aside.
Pre heat oven to 350 F.
Place 350g of the flour, salt, zest, baking powder and soda, sugar and vanilla in a food processor.
Pulse to mix, about 3 times.
Add the coconut oil and pulse again to incorporate. Add the eggs, previously beaten.
Pulse until the dough forms a cohesive mass around the blades. Add more flour if too sticky or runny.
Pinch the dough and place it in the tart pan, pressing it to adhere to the side and level it roughly with your fingers
Using a coffee spoon, press in the center of the dough, creating a sort of channel, like in the picture above. The deeper the better, see picture below.
Now switch over to a fork, and press on the sides of the channel, like to resemble train tracks. Now you get the origin of the name….right? See picture below.
Pretty easy, no?
Now the fun part: fill it with what you want. Any chocolate you like.. (or even jam) Top it with slices of banana.
Now sprinkle 2 T sugar on the banana, will help to caramelize it. And add the cocoa nibs or cocoa mass.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown. Make sure the bottom of the tart is golden and not undercooked.
Wait 30 minutes before cutting it. Drizzle additional chocolate on top if you like, or brush with Apricot jam.
Enjoy!!
