Monday, August 31, 2009

A Better Banana Recipe Alternative: Caramelized Banana Tart Made in a Skillet

Cookies n' Cream Banana Tart Peach Bananas Cho...

This isn't just another one of those banana recipes.

Never in the history of bananas, has there ever been a better banana recipe alternative: caramelized banana tart made in a skillet recipe quite like this one before.

It's fast and easy. You don't make the dough - unless you want to, and who would do that?

So if you thought that a tart - is a tart - is a tart, let me tell you, that's not true because this one is different. This caramelized banana tart is some kind of special because it's not only fast and easy to make, it's delicious and gooey good too!

This caramelized banana tart recipe was birthed from an idea that I had to restructure my Easy Apple Pie Alternative: Caramelized Apple Tart Made in a Skillet recipe, by replacing apples with bananas. Leave it to the Cater-Hater to take something somewhat typical and "Kick it up a notch", as the Food Network star, Emeril Lagasse, would say.

Let's face it... We've all tried just about every banana recipe imaginable - from banana bread recipes to banana nut bread recipes to even banana cake recipes.

And if you think about it... We've been indoctrinated with the same old banana recipes so much so that - searching for something new - we see the name, "Banana Republic", and practically think it's the name of another (new?) banana recipe, too. And that's crazy!

Don't be fooled by the 10 steps.
It's easy to make! And fast, too!

Make this recipe. See if you agree with my catering clients that have tried it (who always ask for the recipe). They love it! And if you feel like they feel, come back one day and leave a comment.

Carlo's Caramelized Banana Tart
1 egg yolk

1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2.) Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet on medium-high heat on your stove. Stir sugar and 2 tbsp. water together. Cook, stirring occasionally until light amber color (about 4 minutes).
3.) Remove from heat (you'll notice mixture will continue to darken, that's normal). Stir in butter.
4.) Peel and slice bananas 1/2 inch thick. Arrange bananas in skillet in a circular pattern, overlapping slightly to fit.
5.) On a lightly floured surface, roll out thawed puff pastry dough to 10 inch square. Using a 10 inch lid or plate as your template, cut out a 10 inch circle. Remove leftover pastry dough scraps and throw away or reserve for other uses.
6.) Poke pastry circle all over with fork. Place dough on top of bananas.
7.) In a small bowl, whisk together yolk and remaining 1 tablespoon water. Lightly brush on pastry.
8.) Bake uncooked banana tart in lower third of preheated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Then move to upper third of oven and bake until pastry dough is puffed and golden brown, and filling is bubbling - which should take about 15 minutes.
9.) Run a knife around the crust to loosen it. Then place the skillet on the stove over medium heat again (not medium-high heat), for about 10 to 15 seconds.
10.) Place serving plate over the top of the skillet and flip the caramelized banana tart onto the plate (lightly tapping it), and let it sit about 2 minutes. Remove from skillet. And use a spatula to remove any loose pieces that may be left in the skillet, if there are any.

Here's the topping twist: I'm leaving it up to you. Serve the tart as is or do your own thing to make it your own! If you're serving your tart soon after making it, cut 2 raw bananas into pieces the same size and place uncooked banana pieces on top of the tart. Sprinkle with chopped nuts or any small-sized cereal that you like. Then make semi-loose whipped cream (loose enough to drizzle all over the top - made from "whipping cream", found in refrigerated area at your local grocery store, near the milk and coffee cream) and sweeten with Equal (or sugar, if you'd like) to taste. And for even more decadence, drizzle it with Hershey's Syrup. See the photograph above for an example.

Viola! You've just received a "made in a skillet" recipe for something easy, fast and different; one buttery good and delicious caramelized banana tart, instead of the same old thing.

This caramelized banana tart will leave people talking and giving you compliments galore. That's a banana fact!