Banoffee Tarts

  



There is something special about a banoffee tart.

The name alone sends my mind racing to an era when the hair was big; the music was legendary and pasta salads, beef stroganoff and frozen yoghurt were at the height of the food fad wishlist! Despite originating in the UK, I can't help but feel that there is also something inherintly 'American' about these little beauties. Don't ask me why!

As far as deserts go, Banoffee Tarts really are about as simple as they come. A simply tart shell naturally balances with  overt sweetness of the caramel filling and the freshness of a ripe banana. There isn't even any fancy folding, scraping or slicing skills involved! Simply decorated with a dollop of cream and the nostalgic simplicity of the humbly sliced banana, what could be better?

Individual Banoffee Tartlettes

Makes ~ 10 individual sized tarts

 

  Ingredients:

   

200g plain sweet biscuits 
60g me lted unsalted butter 
125g unsalted butter

1 tin condensed milk

3 tbsp golden syrup

 

2 bananas

whipped cream

30g caster sugar

 

   

  Method:

 

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees C.
2. In a food processor (or placed in a plastic zip-lock bag and using a rolling pin) blitz the biscuits into fine crumbs and stir through the melted butter until the mixture resemles the consistency of wet sand.
3. Press the mixture into the base and up the sides of 10 individual tart cases and place in the refrigerator. 
4. To make the caramel filling: place the butter, condensed milk and golden syrup in a saucepan over a low heat and stir until melted. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to allow the mixture to cool for 10 minutes.
5. Pour the caramel mixture into the chilled tart cases and bake for approx. 20 minutes or until the caramel is well browned (don't stress if the caramel bubbles up rather than sitting flat! It will flatten when it comes out of the oven and will be covered with bananas and cream anyway!)
6. When cooked, take the tarts out of the oven and allow to cool completely. Remove from the tart cases and top with whipped cream and thinly sliced banana

 

 

Extra Tips and Tricks:

 

•  I made a a simple caramel sauce to drizzle over the top of the tarts using a cup each of caster suagr, water and cream  (cook sugar and water in a saucepan over low heat until sugar melts and mixture browns and then whisk in warmed cream). This just gives it a little extra visual attraction. 
• If your having trouble removing the tarts from the cases place them back in the oven (it should still be a little warm even through you have turned it off) for a minute to allow the butter in the shell to soften and then try to remove the tarts whilst slightly warm.