Banoffi Tart

This is, originally, an English dessert but we will add just one thing to add a French influence. Banoffi means “can’t take it off” and the English establishment couldn’t take it off their menu it was sooooo good.

Try it. Seeing  as how salted caramel is the latest rage, it might hit the top of the list for you too.

 

Crust

  • 1  1/4 cups flour
  • 3 tbsp. sugar
  • pinch of fine sea salt
  • 6 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1/2 tsp. cider vinegar
  • 2-3 tbsp. cold water

Pulse the  flour, sugar and salt to combine. Add the butter and pulse until it becomes a coarse texture. Mix 2 tbsp. water, vinegar and egg yolk together to combine and add to the flour mixture while still pulsing. If the dough doesn’t come together in about 5 pulses, add the remaining tbsp. of water. Shape into a disc, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-2  1/2 hours.

Filling

  • 2 tins sweetened condensed milk
  • pinch of Fleur de sel

For filling, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Scrape condensed milk into a 9 inch pie plate and stir in the fleur de sel. Cover with foil and place inside a larger pan with at least 1 inch of water in the bottom.Bake for about 2 hours, without stirring. Be sure to top up the water in the outer pan throughout the cooking process. Uncover, let sit to cool for about 20-25 minutes. Then scrape into a bowl, whisking until smooth and now chill until read to use.

While the filling is cooking in the oven, roll out the pastry disc to about 1/3 inch thick and place in a 9 inch fluted tart pan with removable botttom.
Prick with a fork and chill for half an hour.

Reduce oven to 375 degrees.

Assembly

  • 2 large bananas, sliced
  • 2 tbsp. white rum
  • 1  1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp. fleur de sel
  • 1/2 cups whipping cream
  • 1  1/2 tsp. sugar
  • toasted almonds and chocolate shavings for garnish

Line the pastry disc with foil and fill with dried beans. Set pan on cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature now to 350 degrees and bake for 20 minutes more. Remove the foil and bake a further 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.

Mix 1 tsp. vanilla and rum together and toss the banana slices gently to coat. Spread into a single layer on the crust. Now carefully spread the toffee on top,  covering the bananas and sprinkle with the fleur de sel.

Whip the cream to soft peaks, add the sugar and 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Spread this over the entire pie and garnish with the toasted, sliced almonds. Chill until ready to serve.

This can be made the day ahead but keep refrigerated.

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