Apple Banana Tart With Warm Maple Syrup Food

WARM BANANAS WITH BROWN SUGAR AND BAY LEAF

Steps:

• In large skillet over high heat, melt the butter and cook until it browns, about 3 minutes. Add the bay leaves and stand back (it may pop). Add the lemon juice, orange juice, brown sugar, brandy, and a pinch of salt. Bring the mixture up to a boil. Stir and cook until the liquid has reduced by half and it has reached a syrupy consistency, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the bananas and pepper. Stir to coat the bananas evenly. Serve immediately spooned over cake or ice cream.
• Cooking Notes: You can make the sauce hours ahead of time. Just add the fruit after you bring the sauce back to a simmer. The fruit should be a little cool inside. Serve it with a good, store bought chocolate cake or spoon it over your favorite ice cream.

APPLE TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
• Cut each sheet of puff pastry into 4 squares. Divide the pastry between the prepared sheet pans and refrigerate while you prepare the apples.
• Peel the apples and cut them in half through the stem. Remove the stems and cores with a sharp knife and a melon baller. Slice the apples crosswise in 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place overlapping slices of apples diagonally across the pastry and place one slice of apple on each side of the arranged slices. Sprinkle the apples evenly with the sugar and dot them with the butter.
• Bake for 40 minutes, until the pastry is browned and the edges of the apples start to brown. Don't worry! The apple juices will burn in the pan but the tarts will be fine! When the tarts are done, heat the apricot jelly together with the Calvados until bubbly and brush the apples and pastry completely with the jelly mixture. Loosen the tarts with a metal spatula so they don't stick to the paper. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.

BREAD PUDDING WITH WARM BANANA MAPLE SAUCE

Steps:

• Grease shallow 3 1/2 to 4 quart ceramic casserole or 13-inch by 9-inch glass baking dish. Arrange bread slices, overlapping slightly, in dish. In a medium bowl, beat milk, salt, eggs and 1/4 cup sugar until well mixed. Slowly pour egg mixture over bread slices; prick bread slices with fork and press slices down to absorb egg mixture. Spoon any egg mixture that bread had not absorbed over bread slices.
• In a cup, mix cinnamon with remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar; sprinkle over top of bread pudding and dot with 2 tablespoons butter. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Remove cover from bread pudding and bake 45 minutes, or until knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
• For the sauce; melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a nonstick 12-inch skillet over a medium high heat. Add banana slices and cook about 3 minutes, until lightly browned. Pour maple syrup over bananas; heat to boiling. Boil 2 to 3 minutes, until mixture thickens slightly. Serve warm sauce in bowl with bread pudding

BANANA MAPLE TART TATIN

Steps:

• On a floured surface, roll the pastry out a bit to even out the any folds and make it a touch thinner. Cut a 10-inch circle of dough from it, prick it, and keep it chilled.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place a heavy 9 or 10-inch metal cake pan on the stove on a large burner and turn the heat onto medium. Add the butter and warm to melt it. Add the maple syrup and vanilla bean and bring to a boil stirring a bit. Remove the vanilla bean. Take the pan off the heat and place the banana slices in the pan decoratively in concentric circles to cover the whole bottom of the pan. Place the pastry over the bananas to cover them, tucking the pastry down along the inside of the pan. Later, during baking, the pastry will shrink to fit the pan.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Let cool in the pan 30 minutes then warm the bottom of the pan on the stove for a minute and turn the tart out onto a serving platter.

QUICK AND EASY APPLE TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place the puffed pastry rectangles onto a baking pan that's been sprayed with nonstick spray or lined with parchment paper. Add the sugar, salt and lemon juice to the apples. Stir to combine. Allow to sit for a few minutes.
• Arrange the apple slices on the pastry rectangles in a straight line, overlapping as you go. Bake until the pastry is puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes.
• Remove from the pan immediately and place on a serving platter. Serve with caramel sauce and chopped pecans.

APPLE TART 'MAMAN BLANC'

Steps:

• For the pastry, pulse together the flour, butter and a pinch of sea salt in a food processor until it reaches a sandy texture. Add the egg, 1 tsp cold water and pulse again briefly. If you over-mix the dough at this stage it will lose its flakiness. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead with the palms of your hands for 30 secs, or until smooth and well combined. With the palm of your hand, flatten the dough slightly to 1cm thickness, then sandwich it between 2 large sheets of cling film. Place on a baking tray and chill for 30 mins.
• Roll the chilled dough, still sandwiched in cling film, to a 2mm thickness. Place a 22cm/3-4cm deep loose-bottomed cake tin on a baking tray. (Or use a 22cm/2-3cm deep tart ring and place on a greaseproof-lined baking tray.) Remove the top layer of cling film. Carefully pick up the dough and place it into the tin with the second layer of cling film facing up. Lift and tuck the dough into the edges of the tin and discard the cling film. By tucking in the base you minimise the shrinking of the dough during cooking. Trim off any excess with a rolling pin. Using your index finger and thumb, pinch and press the dough until it is 2mm above the tin all around the edge. Prick the bottom of the tart with a fork. Chill in the fridge for 20 mins.
• Meanwhile, for the filling, heat the butter, lemon juice and 15g of the caster sugar in a small saucepan until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the Calvados. Set aside. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Place a baking sheet into the oven to pre-heat.
• Arrange the apple segments in concentric circles over the chilled base, overlapping the apple slices as you go. Brush the apples all over with the Calvados mixture. Slide the tin or tart ring (on its lining paper) onto the pre-heated baking sheet and bake for 10 mins. Reduce the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6, then continue to cook for 15-20 mins more.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the double cream, egg and the remaining 50g caster sugar until well combined. After the 15-20 mins baking - when the pastry is pale golden brown and the apples have started to caramelise - sprinkle the tart with the 1 tbsp caster sugar, then pour the custard mixture into the tart. Bake for a further 10 mins until the filling has just set.
• To serve, remove the tart from the oven and set aside for 1 hr to cool slightly. Carefully remove the tin or tart ring and serve immediately with crème fraîche.