BANANA SHORTBREAD, VANILLA BEAN CREAM

BANANA SHORTBREAD, VANILLA BEAN CREAM

You will need four individual metal tart cases about 10cm in diameter. Serves 4.

Ingredients

butter 55g
caster sugar 140g
bananas 4, slightly under ripe

For the shortcake:
butter 70g
caster sugar 75g
egg 1, small
plain flour 125g

For the vanilla cream:
mascarpone 200g
double cream 6 tbsp
vanilla pod 1

Method

For the pastry, dice the 70g of butter, put it into a food-mixer bowl with the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Blend in the lightly beaten egg followed by the flour. Mix to a soft dough, turn on to a generously floured board, then roll into a fat sausage. Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

For the bananas, melt the 55g of butter and sugar in a nonstick frying pan over a low heat, stirring pretty much constantly. It will become grainy, then it might separate, but don't worry, keep stirring. You should end up with a buttery, toffee-coloured sauce. Pour it into the individual tart cases. Set the oven at 180C/gas mark 4

Peel and slice the bananas into rounds, then divide between the cases. Slice the dough into four discs then pat each out to fit the tart cases. They should be quite thick. Place a disc of pastry on top of each of the dishes on top of the bananas. Bake for 20 minutes until pale-biscuit coloured.
Run a palette knife around the edge of the metal tins, turn upside down and shake gently. If there is any toffee stuck on the base, remove it in small pieces and add to the top of each tart.

To make the vanilla cream, put the mascarpone in a bowl and stir in the cream. Slice the vanilla pod in half lengthways and scrape out the black seeds with the point of a knife, then stir gently through the mascarpone and cream. Serve with the warm banana tarts.