Photo: Natalie Levin
Tart Tatin is one of the easiest cakes you can make – it’s relatively fast and easy. All you have to do is make caramel, place a ripe delicious fruit of your choice on it, and top it all with puff pastry. The thing I like most about tart Tatin is the fact that it can be made in so many different variations, and you can get a different kind of cake every single time.
This banana tart Tatin is one of my favorites lately. I made it a few time over the past couple of months, and whenever anyone tasted it they immediately fell in love. It’s made of a caramelized bananas, chocolate and almonds (or pecans – it’s your choice) with crunchy buttery puff pastry.
Whenever I have ripe bananas and puff pastry in my freezer – I make this banana tart tatin. The addition of chocolate and nuts makes it fancy and even more delicious, but even without any addition this banana tart Tatin is a winner. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and it’s the perfect dessert!
Photo: Natalie Levin
Photo: Natalie Levin
Banana Tart Tatin with Chocolate and Almonds
For the dough:
- 400-500 grams of puff pastry
For the filling:
- 70 grams sugar
- 25 grams soft butter
- 3 large ripe bananas
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Juice of 1/4 lemon
- 70 grams dark chocolate
- 50-70 grams coarsely chopped almonds or pecans
- Thaw the dough in the fridge according to the manufacturer’s instructions a day ahead preparation.
- In a heat-proof frying pan, put sugar and cook over high flame until a caramel is formed. Occasionally stir to make sure all the sugar has melted.
- When the caramel is ready, add in butter and mix until it melts.
- Cool the caramel completely in the pan in a uniform layer.
- Peel the bananas and cut them lengthwise. Arrange the bananas neatly over the caramel (that has hardened in the frying pan).
- Sprinkle with a little salt and brush with lemon juice.
- Spread chocolate and pecans or almonds evenly on top of the bananas.
- Roll the dough to about 1/2 cm thick and pierce it with a fork.
- Cut out a circle of about 20-22 cm in diameter and place it on top of the bananas in the pan.
- Preheat the oven to 180 Celsius degrees.
- Bake the tart for 20-25 minutes or until the dough is completely golden.
- Cool for 5 minutes at room temperature and turn over a serving dish.
- Serve hot, preferable with a scoop of ice cream on the side.
- The tart at its best is as close to baking, but it can be kept in the fridge for up to two days. Serve it hot!
- Instead of dark chocolate you can use milk or white chocolate, but the result will be very sweet.
- It is important not to give up the salt and lemon juice because they slightly balance the sweetness.
Photo: Natalie Levin
Photo: Natalie Levin