Graham Cookie Torte with Coconut Whip, Caramelized Bananas and Peanut Butter Mousse

Soft homemade graham cookies, layers of peanut butter mousse and coconut whipped cream, caramelized bananas and salty peanuts.

I developed this graham (cracker) cookie recipe specifically for this dessert. The peanut butter mousse and bananas add a very sweet element to the dessert. With that in mind, these cookies are not as sweet as a normal cookie. Because the torte is layered and left to set up and chill, all the flavors marry together and soak into the cookie, allowing the cookie to develop a sweetness all its own without being overpowering. If you made these grahams with the intention of eating them alone, I would add more sugar, some molasses and probably a cinnamon-sugar crust on top.

Graham Cookies
makes 4 mousse tortes in small mason jars

4 tbl vegetable shortening
1/2 cup organic light brown sugr
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp ener-g egg replacer
2 tbl water
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup graham flour
1/4 cup oat milk

Preheat the oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment or foil and grease.
Cream together the shortening and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, egg replacer, water and salt and blend to combine. Alternatively add half of the flour and milk together until all is mixed in.
Roll out the cookie dough to 1/4" thickness and cut into circles to fit whatever container you are assembling the dessert in. Cut at least 12 circles out, lay on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, turning the tray after 5. The cookies should be soft and chewy so make sure not to over bake them.

Coconut Whip and Peanut Butter Mousse

1-15oz can coconut cream (not milk!), chilled
1 1/2 cup organic powdered sugar, divided
1 tbl vanilla extract
1 cup creamy unsweetened natural peanut butter

In a mixing bowl add the chilled coconut cream and whip on high for 5 minutes until thick and creamy. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and vanilla and whip for 3 minutes more. Reserve half of the coconut mixture and chill for the whipped cream.
Add the remaining powdered sugar and peanut butter and whip on high for 5 more minutes until thick. Set aside and chill until ready to assemble.

** both the whipped cream and the peanut butter mousse will seem pretty thin but once it chills in the fridge it will set up perfectly.

Caramelized Bananas

1 tbl earth balance vegan butter
2 bananas, sliced in 1/4" rounds
2 tbl organic light brown sugar
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup roasted, salted peanuts, chopped

Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss in the bananas. Saute over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Add the brown sugar and salt and continue to cook until the sugar dissolves and caramelizes. Set aside until ready to assemble the torte.

Assembly

First pour in a layer of peanut butter mousse. Then add a cookie. Top with some of the caramelized banana. Layer on some coconut whip then add another cookie on top. The next layer is more banana and then finish with the rest of the peanut butter mousse.
Chill for at least 2 hours to set up then garnish with half of a cookie and a sprinkling of roasted, salted peanuts.