Caramel Banana Tart by Kirsten Tibballs

YIELDS: 1 | PREPARATION: 240 minutes | COOKING: 60 minutes | SKILL LEVEL: Beginner

White Chocolate Chantilly

Ingredients

150 g fresh cream 35% fat (A)

15 g liquid glucose

1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

100 g good-quality white chocolate

220 g fresh cream 35% fat (B)

Method

1. Place the cream (A), glucose and vanilla into a saucepan and bring to the boil.
2. Pour the hot mixture over the chocolate and whisk until completely melted and incorporated.
3. Add the cream (B) and mix to combine.
4. Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface and place into the refrigerator for a minimum of 6 hours.

Biscuit Base

Ingredients

200 g Butternut Snap Biscuits

15 g desiccated coconut

80 g unsalted butter, melted

Method

1. Crush the biscuits to create a fine crumb, then combine it with the coconut.
2. Add the melted butter and stir until completely combined.
3. Press the mixture into the base and sides of a fluted flan tin, 200mm in diameter, to create an even tart shell.
4. Place into the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Caramel Filling

Ingredients

200 g fresh cream 35% fat

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

pinch of sea salt

150 g caster sugar

50 g liquid glucose

30 g water

120 g unsalted butter

20 g honey

1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda

60 g good-quality milk chocolate

Method

1. Place the cream, vanilla and salt into a saucepan and heat until just before boiling point then remove from the heat and set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, heat the sugar, glucose and water until it reaches 145°C.
3. Reduce to low heat and immediately add the butter and honey. Whisk by hand to incorporate.
4. In 3 additions, pour the hot cream mixture over the caramel and whisk to combine.
5. Carefully add the bicarbonate soda then increase the heat and bring to 118°C.
6. Once the caramel reaches temperature, remove from the heat and immediately add the chocolate then whisk to incorporate.
7. Pour the caramel filling into the prepared biscuit base, filling it halfway.
8. Allow to set in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Caramelised Banana Slices

Ingredients

2 ripe bananas

60 g caster sugar

Method

1. Peel and cut the bananas into slightly angled slices, approximately 10mm thick.
2. Place the banana slices onto a lined tray and sprinkle the top with sugar.
3. Place under a grill until the sugar has melted and caramelised.

NOTE: The caramelised banana slices can be prepared 30 minutes in advance.

Ruby Chocolate Flower Petals

Ingredients

200 g Ruby chocolate

Method

1. Cut strips of baking paper, approximately 300mm by 80mm in size.
2. Temper the chocolate by placing it into a microwave-safe plastic bowl, and heat in 30 second increments, stirring in between. Once you have 50% solids and 50% liquid, stir vigorously until the solids have completely melted. If you have some resistant buttons, you can gently heat the chocolate with a hair dryer while stirring.

1. Pipe dots of chocolate along the bottom edge of the baking paper strips, leaving 20-30mm in between.
2. Starting in the centre of each dot, swipe the chocolate with a teaspoon in a curved motion, cleaning the teaspoon as required.
3. To create curved petals, before the chocolate sets, place the strip of petals into a curved form for example a PVC pipe. Allow to set completely at room temperature.
4. To create flat petals, do not place into a curved form and simply allow to set at room temperature.

NOTE: You will require 3 strips of curved petals and 2 strips of flat petals.

Assembly

Method

1. Place a layer of caramelised banana slices on top of the caramel in the tart.
2. Whip the prepared white chocolate Chantilly until it forms firm peaks.
3. Transfer the Chantilly into a piping bag fitted with a st honore nozzle. Pipe the Chantilly over the surface of the tart, in slightly curved lines starting from the outer edge and ending in the centre.
4. Arrange the flat ruby chocolate petals in the centre of the tart, pipe a small amount of Chantilly on top and add a layer of curved petals to create a chocolate flower.