Banana cream parfait with gingersnap streusel

Preparation

Baking Directions:

To make the caramel sauce:In a small, heavy saucepan, stir the sugar and 1/4 cup water over medium heat for about  2 minutes, or until  the sugar dissolves.

Brush down the sides of the pan with a moistened pastry brush to remove any sugar granules.

Cook, without stirring, for about 7 minutes, or until the caramel turns amber in color, swirling the pan as needed to ensure the sugar caramelizes evenly.

Reduce the heat to low and carefully pour in the cream (the caramel will bubble up and harden).

Add the ginger and cook, whisking constantly, until all of the caramel is dissolved.

Remove the pan from the heat and let cool to warm or room temperature.

Strain the caramel through a sieve into a bowl.

Let cool.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

To make the streusel:In a food processor, grind the gingersnap cookies until they form very fine crumbs (you will have about 1 cup crumbs).

Add the sugar and melted butter and pulse until combined.

Sprinkle the mixture evenly over a large, heavy rimmed baking sheet.

Bake, stirring after 5 minutes, for about 10 minutes, or until the crumbs clump together and become a shade darker.

Let cool.

To make the vanilla custard: Whisk the sugar, cornstarch and salt together in a medium heavy saucepan.

Gradually whisk in 1 1/2 cups of the cream and the milk, followed by the egg yolks.

Using the tip of a small sharp knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean.

Whisk them into the milk mixture, and drop in the vanilla bean too.

Set the pan over medium-high heat and whisk for about 6 minutes, or until the custard thickens and large bubbles just begin to burst through the surface.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter.

Remove and discard the vanilla bean.

Transfer the custard to a large bowl and cool completely, whisking occasionally, for about 1 hour.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the remaining 1 1/4 cups cream until it thickens and forms loose mounds.

Stir the custard to loosen it.

Fold 1 cup of the whipped cream into the custard.

Spoon 1 cup of the custard over the bottom of a 2 ½ quart glass or other serving bowl.

Holding 1 banana over the bowl, cut it into 1/4-inch-thick slices, allowing the slices to fall onto the custard, and cover it sparsely.

Sprinkle ½ cup of the streusel over the bananas, then spread 1 1/2 cups of the custard over the bananas.

Slice 1 1/2 more bananas, allowing the slices to fall onto the custard and cover it evenly.

Sprinkle ¾ cup of the streusel over the bananas.

Repeat the layering one more time with the remaining custard, streusel and bananas.

Top with the remaining whipped cream.

Spoon the parfait into bowls, drizzle with the caramel sauce, and serve.