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Bananas Foster Tart

This Bananas Foster Tart delivers two desserts in one. A topping of the New Orleans classic perched on top of a creamy egg custard tart. And although it looks fancy, it's fairly simple to pull off. All you need is a little time, a tart pan and some dried beans... or pie weights if you fancy.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Chilling Time 4 hours
Course Dessert
Cuisine American

Equipment

  • 9-inch tart pan
  • A bag of dried beans or pie weights

Ingredients
  

Pate Sucree

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2/3 cup unsalted butter cut into cubes
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp heavy cream
  • 1 egg yolk beaten

Egg Custard

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup 2% milk
  • 8 green cardamom pods
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 8 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Bananas Foster

  • 3 bananas just underripe
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 star anise pods
  • 1/4 cup turbinado sugar
  • 3 tbsp butter cut into cubes
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup dark rum

Instructions
 

For the Pate Sucree

  • Place the flour, sugar, and salt in a large food processor and blitz until well-combined. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
  • In a small bowl whisk to combine the egg and the cream. Turn on the food processor and stream in the egg/cream mixture. Blitz until the dough starts to come together.
  • Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface. Lightly knead the dough with your fingertips and form it into a ball. Flatten the ball into a disc and wrap tightly before transferring the dough to the fridge. Chill for 30 minutes to an hour.
  • Once the dough is chilled, unwrap it and place it on a well-floured surface. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 1/4 of an inch thickness. Line a 9-inch tart pan with the dough and trim the excess. Form the remaining bits and pieces of the dough into a ball and flatten into a disc. Wrap tightly and transfer to the freezer for future tart adventures.
  • Transfer the tart pan to the fridge and chill for 30 minutes. And while the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Once the oven is up and the dough is chilled, prick the dough all over with a fork. Line the tart shell with a piece of parchment paper and fill the center with dried beans or pie weights. Place the tart shell in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
  • Once the 20 minutes have passed, take the tart out of the oven and remove the parchment paper and the beans. Brush the inside of the tart shell with the beaten egg yolk and return the tart shell to the oven. Bake for an additional 15 minutes.
  • Take the shell out of the oven and drop the oven temperature to 275°F. Let the shell cool for 10 minutes before pouring in the custard.

For the Custard

  • When the tart shell is on its second bake, make the custard. Pour the milk and cream into a small saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Add the cardamom pods and cinnamon stick and bring the milk mixture up to a low simmer.
  • Once steam develops on the surface of the milk mixture and bubbles start to form around the edges, turn off the heat and cover. Leave the spices to steep in the milk mixture for 15-20 minutes.
  • While the milk is steeping, whisk the sugar and salt into the egg yolks until they turn a paler yellow.
  • Remove the cinnamon stick and cardamom pods and pour the milk mixture gradually into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Pour the resulting mixture through a mesh strainer into a pitcher or another vessel with a spout. Skim any bubbles or froth off the surface of the custard using a spoon.
  • Pour the custard into the slightly cooled tart case. Carefully transfer the tart to the oven and bake for 40 minutes or until the edges of the tart are set and the center is still wobbly. Take the tart out of the oven and leave to cool completely before transferring to the fridge to chill. Let chill for at least 3 hours.

For the Bananas Foster

  • Peel the bananas and slice them lengthwise. Take each half and cut them in two, so you have a total of 12 banana spears. Set aside.
  • Place the star anise pods and cinnamon stick in a dry skillet. Toast the spices over medium heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the sugar and cook, undisturbed, until the sugar melts into a liquid and turns a deep amber. Stir in the butter and salt.
  • Add the bananas to the pan, cut-side-down. Sear the bananas on each side for a minute or 2 or until golden. Don't cook the bananas for too long or they will turn into mush. Also don't be alarmed if the caramel is lumpy, the rum with smooth the sauce out.
  • Once the bananas are nicely browned, turn off the flame and pour in the rum. Light a match and use it to set the alcohol in the pan on fire. Let the fire burn itself out. Set the Bananas Foster aside to cool for 15-20 minutes. If the bananas are too hot when they're added to the tart, they will interfere with the structural integrity of the custard.
  • Place the bananas on top of the custard tart and spoon the residual sauce over top. Serve immediately.
Keyword bananas, bananas foster, cardamom, cinnamon, Cream, eggs, pastry, pie, rum, star anise, tart