Banana caramel tart | Kirsten Tibballs

Makes: 1 Tart | Prep Time:  45 mins

Coconut Shortbread Pastry

Ingredients

• 150g      unsalted butter
• 100g      brown sugar
• 35g        desiccated coconut
• 50g        whole eggs
• 260g      plain flour
• 2g          salt
• 2g          baking powder
• 1            egg yolk
  
  

Method

1. Place a 190mm tart ring onto a lined tray.
2. In the bowl of a KitchenAid stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip the butter up into a thick, smooth paste.
3. When it becomes smooth, add the brown sugar, desiccated coconut and the eggs. Mix until combined and using the KitchenAid® Sifter + Scale Attachment, add in the sieved flour, salt and baking powder. 
4. Once the pastry has come together, press it into a neat flat square and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours.
5. Roll the pastry out to 3mm in thickness and line the tart ring. Trim the top of the pastry so that it aligns with the top of the tart ring.
6. Line the pastry with heat-proof plastic wrap or baking paper and fill with uncooked rice or baking beads. Blind bake for 18 minutes at 160°C.
7. As it comes out of the oven, remove the lining and brush the pastry with the broken egg yolk.
8. Once cool, wrap the tart shell in plastic wrap and store at room temperature until required. This can keep up to 5 days before filling if airtight.

Caramel

Ingredients

• 200g      caster sugar
• 72g        liquid glucose
• 40g        water
• 4g          vanilla bean paste
• 160g      unsalted butter
• 28g        honey
• 268g      fresh cream 35% fat (A)
• pinch    salt
• 1/3 tsp bicarbonate soda
• 60g        fresh cream 35% fat (B)

Method

1. In a large saucepan cook the sugar, glucose and water to 145°C.
2. In a separate saucepan boil the cream with the vanilla and set aside.
3. Stop the sugar cooking by whisking in by hand the butter, honey, and then the boiling liquid cream (to prevent the temperature of the sugar from dropping below 110°C pour in the cream in two or three stages). The cream will rise up and create a lot of steam at this stage.
4. Whisk in the salt and bicarbonate soda.
5. Reheat the mixture while whisking to 119°C.
6. Pour immediately on top of the prepared shortbread base to fill it ¾ of the way.
7. Pour the remaining caramel into a bowl.
8. In a saucepan, boil cream (B) and add to the remaining caramel, whisking by hand to combine. Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface.
9. When ready to decorate, transfer the caramel into a piping bag fitted with a 6mm plain nozzle.
   
   

Note: This mixing process for the caramel can take 10-15 minutes so maybe have some extra muscle on hand.

White Chocolate Chantilly

Ingredients

• 270g      fresh cream 35% fat (A)
• 27g        liquid glucose
• 1 tsp      vanilla bean paste
• 190g      Callebaut W2 White Chocolate 28%
• 395g      fresh cream 35% fat (B)

Method

1. Boil the cream (A) with the glucose and vanilla in a saucepan.
2. Place the chocolate into a bowl.
3. Pour the boiling mixture over the white chocolate in a bowl and whisk together.
4. Add in the cream (B) and combine.
5. Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface. Place in the fridge for 6 hours prior to whipping.

White Chocolate Petals

Ingredients

• 250g      Callebaut W2 White Chocolate 28%, tempered
• 1g          pink oil-soluble colour powder
• 0.2g       white titanium dioxide oil-soluble colour powder

Method

1. Temper the white chocolate by placing it in a large plastic bowl and microwaving it at 30 second intervals until its half melted, half solid chocolate. Stir vigorously until all is melted – this may take a few minutes. If the chocolate doesn’t melt completely, apply a small amount of extra heat using a hairdryer. Use at 29°C-30°C.
2. Sieve in the colour and stir well with a spoon until combined. If there is any undissolved colour, emulsify with a stick blender.
3. Take 2 flexible plastic sheets and spoon some of the tempered chocolate onto one, place the other sheet directly on top and use a PVC pipe or a rolling pin to spread it into a thin layer.
4. As it starts to set, leave the top plastic sheet on and cut out petals using a 20mm petal cutter.
5. Sandwich the chocolate sheet with the plastic still on between 2 baking trays to ensure the garnishes stay flat.
6. Leave in the fridge for 5 minutes before bringing back to room temperature.
7. Release the chocolate petals by gently peeling back the top plastic sheet.

Assembly

Ingredients

• 3            small ripe bananas

Method

1. In the bowl of a KitchenAid stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the Chantilly cream to a consistency that just holds the whisk.
2. Slice the fresh bananas approximately 10mm thick and arrange them on top of the caramel.
3. Transfer the whipped Chantilly cream into a piping bag fitted with an 8mm star nozzle and pipe rosettes on top of the tart.
4. Arrange the chocolate petals in groups of three or five to create delicate flowers.
5. Pipe small dots of the caramel in between the flowers.
6. Place into the fridge until required.