Banana Tart with Cinnamon Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce

To prepare the ice cream: In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, milk, and cinnamon sticks. Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the mixture, then drop in the pod. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking gently to keep it from scorching, then remove from heat and set aside to steep for 20 minutes. In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until pale yellow in color. Slowly whisk in the cream mixture. Return the mixture to low heat in a pan, stirring constantly, and cook until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Strain, cool completely, then freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. Store in the freezer.

To prepare the sauce: In a small heavy saucepan, combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Using a dampened pastry brush, brush down the crystals which form on the sides of the pan; do not stir. Cook until the mixture becomes a deep golden brown. Carefully whisk in the cream; the mixture will spatter when the cream is first added. Remove from heat and whisk in the rum and butter. Set aside and keep warm.

To prepare the tarts: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Melt all but 2 tablespoons of the butter and mix with the honey. Generously butter four 3-1/2-inch tart pans with some of the honey butter; reserve the rest. Divide the sugar among the tart pans and sprinkle over the honey butter in the bottoms of the pans. Peel and slice the bananas into 3/8-inch-thick rounds. Arrange around the bottom of each tart pan, overlapping the slices slightly. Cut the reserved 2 tablespoons of butter into small bits and distribute over the bananas. Lay out a phyllo sheet and brush with some of the remaining honey butter. Repeat with remaining phyllo sheets, forming a stack. Cut the phyllo stack into circles sized to fit the tart pans. Place the phyllo circles on the tart pans, pressing down gently. Place the filled tarts on a baking sheet and bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

To serve: Pool caramel sauce in the serving plates. Invert a tart onto the center of each and lift off the tart pan. Form a quenelle shape from the ice cream using two large spoons and place one beside each tart. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.