Banana-Chocolate Tart with Hazelnut Sauce
Caramelized banana slices are hidden beneath the rich chocolate filling of this dessert. The flavors are further intensified by the hazelnut crust and a garnish of praline creme anglaise.
Ingredients
- Sweet Dough Tart Shells
- Unsalted Butter - 1/2 cup, at room temperature
- Confectioner’s Sugar - 1/2 cup
- Hazelnut powder - 1/3 cup
- Egg - 1
- All-Purpose Flour - 2 cups, unbleached
- Chocolate Filling
- Semisweet Chocolate - 7 ounces, melted
- Milk - 7 ounces
- Sugar - 1/2 cup
- Cocoa Powder - 1/4 cup
- Unsalted Butter - 6 tablespoons, t room temperature
- Caramelized Bananas
- Water - 2 tablespoons
- Brown Sugar - 4 tablespoons
- Bananas - 2, sliced 1/4-inch thick
- Praline Creme Anglaise
- Egg Yolks - 4
- Sugar - 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons
- Milk - 3-1/2 ounces
- Heavy (whipping) cream - 10 ounces
- Praline paste - 1/2 cup
- Chocolate Sauce
- Heavy (whipping) cream - 3-1/2 ounces
- Sugar - 1 tablespoon
- Bittersweet Chocolate - 1-1/2 ounces, chopped
- Garnish
- Chocolate Sauce (abovehocolate sauce (above) - 1/2 cup
- Praline creme anglaise (above) - 1/2 cup
- Chocolate shavings
- Cocoa powder - for dusting
Instructions
To make the tart shells: Combine the butter and powdered sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Whip together, then add the hazelnut powder and beat until mixed. Add the egg and beat again until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the flour all at once, mixing by hand just until the mixture holds together. Form the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill at least two hours before rolling out for the tart shells.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness, using a small amount of flour to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface and rolling pin. For 4-inch tart rings, cut 6-inch circles from the dough. Carefully press each circle into a tart ring, removing excess dough around the top edge. Using plastic bags filled with rice, press one bag into each tart ring to weigh down the dough. Remove rice bags and place the tart shells on a baking sheet. Bake 8 - 10 minutes, until the shells are light golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
To make the filling: Place the melted chocolate in a warmed heatproof bowl. In a large pan, warm the milk, then add the sugar and cocoa. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve over the melted chocolate and stir to blend. Add the butter and stir until the butter is completely melted and the mixture is smooth and shiny.
To make the bananas: In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, stir the water and brown sugar to blend. Add the banana slices and cook until slightly softened, 30 - 45 seconds.
To assemble the tarts: Make a single layer of banana slices in the bottom of each tart shell. Pour the chocolate filling over the banana slices to fill the shells. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
To make the praline creme anglaise: In a small mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks and add the sugar. In a large skillet, mix the milk with the cream and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in the egg yolk mixture and the praline cream, and cook until the mixture coats the back of the spoon, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and pour this mixture into a bowl that is placed in a larger bowl filled with ice water to quickly chill the sauce. Put the sauce in a squeeze bottle.
To make the chocolate sauce: In a medium skillet over medium heat, mix the cream with the sugar and bring to a boil. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and pour the cream mixture over it. Let sit for 1 minute, then gently stir until smooth. Put the sauce in a squeeze bottle.
To serve: Place a tart to one side of each serving plate. Decorate one side of each plate with swirls of chocolate sauce and praline creme anglaise. Dust the other side of the plate with cocoa powder. Decorate with chocolate shavings.
