Banana Tart
Banana TartTorta de PlátanoAt the Salon de Te in Mexico City's well-known elegant district called the pink zone (Zona Rosa), there are many tempting pastries and other sweets to assuage late afternoon appetites. This is my version of its banana tart with bright strawberry glaze. Serve the tart the day it's made.
Ingredients
Makes 1 (9-inch) tart
- Sweet Pastry Shell
- 4 ounces fresh cream cheese
- ½ cup whipping or heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 ripe firm bananas peeled and sliced in 1⁄4-inch rounds
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 10 ounces frozen sweetened sliced strawberries thawed
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Make the pastry shell and cool completely.
- Leave the oven at 375°.
- To make the filling, put the cream cheese in a food processor bowl and process to soften, about 8 seconds.
- Add the cream, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla.
- Process until smooth, about 10 seconds.
- Pour into the cooled pastry shell.
- Bake until barely set, 6 to 8 minutes.
- (The filling will still wiggle a little in the center.
- ) Cool on a rack.
- Arrange the banana slices in a circular pattern over the entire surface of the tart.
- (Use any extra banana slices for another purpose.
- ) Brush the arranged bananas lightly with the lime juice.
- Set the tart aside.
- Press the thawed berries through a strainer over a small saucepan, pressing well to extract all the pulpy juices.
- Discard the pulp in the strainer.
- Stir the cornstarch and 1 teaspoon of water together in a small dish and stir into the berry pulp.
- Put the mixture in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring, until thickened and clear.
- Spoon the glaze carefully over the bananas, covering completely.
- Refrigerate the tart at least 1 hour or up to 6 hours before serving.