Banana Custard Tart Recipe

This banana custard tart recipe is creamy and delicious and tastes great just as is, or you could serve with whipping cream.

Ingredients

Crust
4 Tablespoons ice water, plus more as needed
3/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
9 Tablespoons cold butter, cut into cubes

Custard
2 cups whole milk
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar, pressed through a sieve
1/3 cup cornstarch, sifted
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon dark rum
3 Tablespoons cold, salted butter, cut into bits
2-3 ripe but firm bananas

(Makes one 9-inch pie)

Directions

Crust

In a small cup stir together the water and vinegar.

Use a processor to combine the flour, sugar and salt.

Add the butter and pulse to blend until the mixture has a coarse meal texture.

Add the water and vinegar with the processor on slow and process enough to form moist clumps.

Test the texture with your fingers, the dough should hold together. If it seems dry, add a teaspoon of water and pulse again.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured, clean flat working surface and work it with your hands into a ball. Flatten to a 1 1/2 inch circles, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

After the dough has chilled remove from the refrigerator and allow the dough to soften to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 inch tart dish.

Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly floured surface and use a rolling pin to make a circle large enough to fit the bottom of the pan and extend up the sides 1/2 inch.

Place the rolled bottom into the pan and gently ease up the sides, pressing down lightly with your fingertips to shape the crust. Fold the overhanging parts inwards and gently press down to reinforce the sides.

Pierce the bottom of the shell.

Line with aluminum foil and spread baking weights on the bottom, (or you can use beans).

Place the shell into the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let cool before removing the aluminum foil and weights.

Custard

Pour the milk into a medium sized heavy bottom saucepan and bring it to a boil and shut off.

Separate the egg yolks into a large mixing bowl and stir in the brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt until you have a well blended thick mixture.

Pour 1/4 cup of the hot milk slowly into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. You must keep whisking as you do this or you will cook the eggs. This is called tempering.

Continue whisking while you slowly pour the remaining milk into the egg mixture.

Transfer back into the saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking the whole time.

Cook for 2 minutes, then shut off and remove from the heat.

Whisk in the vanilla and rum. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes then stir the butter bits into the custard, stirring until the mixture is silky smooth.

Transfer the custard to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Have the wrap touching the custard so it does not form a a crust.

Assembly

Spread a thin layer of custard on the bottom of the pie crust.

Slice the bananas into thin rounds and place a row of bananas onto the custard.

Spread the remaining custard on top of the first row of bananas.

Place a row of sliced bananas on top of the custard.

Place into the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, to chill for an hour before serving.

Great as is or you can serve with a dollop of whipped cream.