Recipes > Banana & Browned Butter Tart
- Serves: 8 to 10
- Active Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 3 hrs
- Views: 56,930
- Success Rating: 96% (?)
Steps
Step 1: Making the Dough for the Crust
- 1/2 cup unsalted, room temperature butter
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp table salt
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Method
Mix butter, sugar, and salt in medium bowl with a hand mixer. Blend together for a minute or so.
Add the eggs yolks, vanilla extract and blend again. Add the flour and blend until the ingredients come together. Using your hands, form the dough into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and then place into the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes to an hour.
Step 2: Baking the Crust
Method
Once the dough has chilled, roll it out just a bit and then press into a 9″ × 9″ pan. Chill again for 30 minutes in the refrigerator to set. Once chilled, remove from the refrigerator and prick the tart shell with a fork. Line with aluminum foil, fill with dried beans and bake in a preheated oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 13 minutes. Remove the beans and foil and continue cooking for 23 – 25 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for at least 30 minutes.
Step 3: Assembling the Tart
- 6 large egg yolks
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 whole vanilla bean (not extract)
- 1 whole cinnamon stick
- 1/4 tsp table salt
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 bananas
Method
Whisk together eggs yolks and sugar for about 1 minute until fluffy and a bit creamy.
Cut the vanilla bean in half and scrape out the seeds. Melt the butter over medium heat and add the vanilla bean and seeds, cinnamon stick and salt. Continue to stir until the butter turns golden brown. This gives the butter a ‘nutty’ flavor. This should take about 8 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean.
Quickly re-whisk the eggs. Then add a bit of the hot butter to temper the eggs. Be sure to whisk while slowly adding the butter. Then add the remaining butter. Next, add the flour and set aside.
Slice the bananas into about 1/4" -inch thick pieces and lay the slices one layer thick onto the pre-baked tart shell. Pour over the butter mixture and bake for approximately 35 minutes or until set. Let cool for about 30 minutes before serving.Dust with icing sugar and serve with whipped cream.
Chef's Notes
- by Dawn Thomas
- •
- January 10, 2007
A banana tart like no other. This is a decadent yet simple way to end a meal. It is also a nice thing to bring to a dinner party or serve with afternoon tea.
Browned butter creates a delicious nutty flavor which when paired with fresh bananas makes this tart a winner. It is best served with just a dollop of whip cream and a sprinkling of icing sugar.
If you make the dough the night before, be sure to take it out of the refrigerator at least an hour ahead of time so that you can easily press it into the pan. Also, be sure to buy ripe bananas that are mostly yellow with only a slight tinge of green at the ends.
28 Comments
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This is a great dessert. It's so rich that I served it sparingly with a beautiful vanilla bean icecream, whipped cream and some dark chocolate shavings. It was fun following the recipe too because I had never blind baked before. You guys really explain it so well - I'm not a dessert queen and couldn't have made this with out your guidance! -
I prepared this very good recipe...the result was perfect, of course the right tools helps a lot. Maybe I can add some bitter chocolate.. congratulations!!!
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Esta receta es muy rica, la capa superior le da una textura especial, al no tener la vainilla en vaina, le he tenido que poner al final unas gotas de esencia, y no ha quedado mal, su sabor es exquisito. Gracias por compartirla. -
I just watched this video and my husband asked if we could download a piece :)
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After watching this video I wanted to lay back and smoke a cigarette.
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Can I make any of this tart in advance?
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This tart is pretty good the next day. But it does loose a bit of it's charm. When first made (same day) it is a bit more airy and softer. It can definitely be made in the morning or in the afternoon for a dinner party and it will be just fine. -
Everything was fine until I added the flour and mixed. No moist clumps formed. It just got creamier and creamier. I can't shape it nicely like the video. It just kind of sticks together. What can I do to save this dessert? Please help.
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If it is the dough you are referring to, try putting it in the fridge for about 15 minutes or so. It is very hot out today, so perhaps it has melted a bit. I am here if you need anything....good luck! dawn
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Yeah, it's the dough. I'm thinking I put too much butter. I think I'll just start over. Thanks for your help!
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I tried again this time with the right amount of butter. It was a homerun at the dinner party! The crust was a particular hit. So decadent! (especially with Haagen Daas Vanilla Swiss Almond ice cream!) Once again, very impressed with Rouxbe!
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Even though I was disappointed not to use the vanilla beans , (because I didn't have time to go to Costco where they sell 10 beautiful beans for $16.00 and my local Safeway was charging $7.29 for 2 and my cheap nature couldn't justify that!) , this dessert was awesome. I used some extract instead. I also used a 9 inch round flan pan and that worked out better than I thought. I cut straight lines through the middle so I was able to get enough squares. Now I guess I will have to make a meringue pie to use up all those egg whites:) -
I'm guessing I should have greased it first but it didn't specify this in the recipe so I didn't and I couldn't get it off the pan to serve it! -
Not sure what happened here. I do not generally grease the pan and I have never had this happen to me. Perhaps the pan you were using was older or scratched. Hope that it was still okay to serve!
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Hands-down the most well-received dessert I've made in ages. I baked it in an ordinary 9" pie tin (that was prepared with with "Pam for baking") and did not have any sticking issues. I also added an extra, thin layer of bananas, and paired the tart with (homemade) caramel sauce and ice cream, as suggested in the video. A must-make for the banana lover. Heck, even the caramel sauce can be eaten by the spoonful from the container after it's been refrigerated overnight. Not that I would ever do such a thing...
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WOW! What a great looking recipe! I rushed out today in search of tart pans - and I could find only 9" square pans. The pan in the video appears to be rectangular but I could not find the dimensions. I purchased two of the 9"square pans and am now wondering whether the dough and other ingredients will be sufficient for two 9" tarts. My other option was a 10.25" round tart pan, but I wanted to stay with Dawn's suggestion and go with the square presentation. Please let me know what your thoughts are! Thank you, Ollie. -
Another question ... I'm planning on making this the day of the party. If I made it the morning of, (I'll make the dough the night before) should I store it in the fridge and then take it out an hour or so before serving? Should I gently warm it it in the oven to take the chill off or serve it cold? Thank again! Olliw
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The 9" tart square tart pan should be fine but I don't think that you will be able to fill two pans from one recipe. You may just a bit leftover from one recipe...maybe you could make one tiny one on the side :-) The square one will look great though...nice find. As for making and storing the tart. The dough can definitely be made the day before. Just take it out of the fridge a half and hour to an hour before using (1/2 an hour is likely enough if it's warmer in your kitchen). Once the tart is made it can be left on the counter or refrigerated. If refrigerated...then yes...do take it out at least an hour (or more) before serving. Warming it ever so slightly in the oven (around 250°F) is not a bad idea either...just don't forget about it :-) Best of Luck, let us know how it turns out.
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We ended up using just one of the 9" square tart pans - and the quantities were perfect. Thank you so much. This site is invaluable - I look forwards to learning more! Matthew.
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WOW it's just stunning!!
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This is a great tart a big hit every time. Is it possible to bake the tart shell then add the custard and bake it without the bananas? What I want to do is to put the banana on top of the custard ,add some sugar on top then burn the sugar with a blow torch. I loooooove bruleed banana and I think in this way it will look much nicer. -
Hi Khaled...that could work, I say try it and see what happens...you may come up with something really great. After all experimenting is how chefs come up with new and unique recipes. Good luck!
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Thanks Dawn but this is not what I meant I wanted to try it but I was afraid that the top custard may need something underneath it, and I was just asking if the custard can be baked on top of the shell directly and if I could is there any changes I should make ?
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Could Pears be substituted for the bananas in this recipe? If so how many pears would be needed for this recipe and how thin should the slices be? This looks like a great dessert but my family doesn't seem to like bananas
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I do not suggest substituting pears for bananas in this recipe as pears have a much higher moisture content, which would likely cause the tart to become soggy. Cheers!
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Thanks rouxbe.com... I see that the vanilla bean is highly recommended... Not all of us have the luxury of finding vanilla beans in the remote areas in which we live... that said, online conversions suggest that one bean is equivalent to 3 teaspoons of extract (or 1tsp per inch of bean) ? That seems like a bit much extract for this recipe? OR? Does the bean make that big a difference!!! I have never had the pleasure! What are your recommendations? -
Additionally, for those of us “more challenged” :), what is the “other dimension” of a rectangular nine inch tarte pan so that we might estimate substitutions? Thank you so much... Deb and robert
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Rouxbe Staff
Robert & Deborah, the flavor and aroma of a 'fresh' vanilla bean is strong compared to vanilla extract, hence, the online conversion you discovered. Is this an accurate conversion? It might be. It depends on the freshness of the bean. As for the amount of extract at 3 tsp, it may be a lot. Consider cutting back to 2 tsp and see how you like it. You can then make additional adjustments the next time you make this tart. And, as for the pan, start with a 9" x 9" pan.
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