I came up with this recipe about a year ago when trying to come up with a menu for a friend’s 40th birthday.  Okay, so the name isn’t very catchy but this dessert is positively addictive! Cake was settled on for the party but I’ve been making this ever since.  The inspiration for this dessert came from two separate sources: 1) my friend Victoria’s mother’s awesome turon; and 2) a dessert from Slanted Door in San Francisco – tapioca pudding with a brown sugar ginger sauce. When I first dreamed it up, the dish came out like this.

But then I wondered – what if I deconstructed it?  I find the ginger sauce combined with the lumpia wrappers and plantains mirror the stickiness of turon perfectly, while the ginger sauce with the ice cream and whipped cream complement each other in a really unexpected way.  Mix it all together in a napoleon type stack and you have a dessert that satisfies in looks, flavor and texture!  Although I don’t have access to fresh jack fruit, we do have plenty of plantains and sabas in the area.  Okay, so there are a few components to this dessert but the good news is that most of them can be prepared ahead of time.  If you don’t want to sautee the plaintains, you can alternatively use fresh bananas or fresh fresh fruit. I like strawberry, mango and banana combo the best.

Deconstructed Turon Napoleon A La Mode
25 lumpia squares, fried
1 plantain or saba banana, sauteed (see recipe below)
ginger sauce (see recipe below)
vanilla ice cream
whipped cream

The assembly:
First put two lumpia wafer on a plate, drizzling sauce in between layers and on top of the second wafer.  Top with vanilla ice cream, a little more sauce, then another wafer.  Next top with the sauteed plantain, a little more sauce, then another wafer.  Finally, top with whipped cream and a final little drizzle of sauce.  This is a very impressive looking dessert and if you plan ahead, you only really need assemble it at dessert time.

Lumpia Wrapper Wafers
Cut lumpia wrappers into 4 parts. Heat oil on medium heat. Working in small batches, fry for approximately 30 seconds or until golden brown.  Set fried wrappers in a bowl lined with paper towels, being sure to set the wrappers up on edge so the oil drains off and the wrappers maintain crispness. Set aside. Note:  These can be made ahead several hours.

Brown Sugar Ginger Sauce
1 tablespoon freshly ground ginger root (not powdered)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
juice from 1/2 orange (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 teaspoon butter

In a medium sized saucepan on medium low heat, combine ginger, brown sugar, molasses and orange juice and bring to a boil, whisking constantly.  Stop whisking and let boil about 30 seconds.  Remove from heat and whisk in butter.  Note:  This sauce keeps in the refrigerator for about a week.

Sauteed Plantains
1 ripe plantain (or saba) cut into 1/4 inch slices
3 tablespoons brown sugar
pinch of cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
1 tablespoon butter

Place brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg on a plate.  Roll plantain slices in mixture until coated.  In a sautee pan on medium heat, melt butter, then put plantains in the pan.  Cook for 2-3 minutes per side or until golden brown.  Transfer onto a plate. Set aside.

Eat Well!

Trish