Tale of Two Tarts

There really is no tale.  :)  But it starts with my trip to San Francisco where I always stop by Tartine Bakery for eclaires.  This visit, I also had their Banana Cream Tart.  Wow!  It was amazing so I decided to recreate it with their recipe.  I bought their cookbook years ago and hadn't tried any thing from it.

I had the perfect venue for this tart.  A game night at Jee & Mike's.  I have a group of friends that we always get together for a night of dinner and competitive board games between the boys vs. the girls.  I always try to bring the dessert.  Another Mike who attends hates bananas so I had to have another kind for him, thus made a raspberry version. I actually loved the raspberry one!

Now, this tart is labor intensive!  I'm not kidding, there are so many components to it.  I really recommend not trying to make all the components in one day.  Take a week to make each one on different day and assemble it the day it's going to be served or the night before.


Here are the components:

1. Tart Base, the Dough

2. Melted Chocolate

3. Pastry Cream

4. Caramel Sauce

5. Whipped Cream

Of course the key ingredient is also the fruit, the bananas and raspberries. Use organic whenever possible.  

For the most part, I followed the Tartine's recipe exactly for the components except for the caramel sauce. I used more and have my own version so I'll reference my recipe posted previously.   I also had to cook the tart base longer than indicated in the recipe so noted that, but I love this tart base and will use it again. I used 3 fresh bananas vs. the 2 indicated.  I was also luke warm on the pastry cream.  I don't know if it's my technique but it got a bit grainy even after I strained it.  I'm trying different recipes before I tweak and come up with my own.   

Tart Base

Makes enough for 2 10" tarts

1 tsp Salt

2/3 c Water, very cold

3 c + 2 tbsp All-purpose flour

1 c + 5 tbsp Unsalted butter, very cold

-In a small bowl, add the salt to the water and stir to dissolve. Keep very cold until ready to use.

-To make the dough in the food processor, put the flour in the work bowl. Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces and scatter the pieces over the flour. Pulse briefly until the mixture forms large crumbs and some of the butter is still in pieces the size of peas. Add the water-and-salt mixture and pulse for several seconds until the dough begins to come together in a ball but is not completely smooth. You should still be able to see some butter chunks.

-To make the dough by hand, put the flour in a mixing bowl. Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces and scatter the pieces over the flour. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture forms large crumbs and some of the butter is still in pieces the size of peas. Drizzle in the water-and-salt mixture and stir and toss with a fork until the dough begins to come together in a shaggy mass. Gently mix until the dough comes together into a ball but is not completely smooth. You should still be able to see some butter chunks.

-On a lightly floured work surface, divide the dough into 2 equal balls and shape each ball into a disk 1-inch thick. Wrap well in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or for up to overnight.

-Preheat the oven to 375F

-Roll dough out to 1/8-inch thick and place into pie dish. Blind bake the shell for 25mins until the surface looks light brown. Remove the shell from oven and remove the weights, return pie shell to oven and bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes longer. 

-Let the shell cool completely on a wire rack before filling.

Pastry Cream

Makes 2 1/2 cups

2 c Whole Milk

1/2 of a Vanilla bean

1/4 tsp Salt

4 tbsp Cornstarch

1/2 c + 1 tbsp Sugar

2 Large eggs

4 tbsp Unsalted butter

-Have a bowl ready for cooling the pastry cream with a fine-mesh sieve resting on the rim.

-Pour the milk into a heavy saucepan. Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and use the tip of a sharp knife to scrape the seeds from the pod halves into the milk. Add the salt, place over medium-high heat, and bring to just under a boil, stirring occasionally and making sure that the milk solids are not sticking to the bottom of the pan.

-Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and sugar. Add the eggs and whisk until smooth.

-When the milk is ready, slowly ladle about one-third of the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the egg-milk mixture back into the hot milk and continue whisking over medium heat until about 2 minutes. I order for the cornstarch to cook ad thicken fully, the mixture must come just to the boiling point. You want to see a few slow bubbles. Remove from heat and immediately pour through the sieve into the bowl. Let cool for 10minutes, stirring occasionally to release the heat and prevent a skim from forming on top. 

-Cut the butter into 1-tablespoon pieces. When the pastry cream is ready (temp should be at 140F) whisk the butter into the pastry cream 1 tablespoon at a time, always whisking until smooth before adding the next tablespoon.

-To cool the cream, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the top of the cream (the plastic wrap prevents a skin from forming on the surface). Chill until ready to assemble the tarts.

Whipped Cream
1 c Heavy Cream (very cold)

2 tbsp Sugar

-Pour heavy cream into a mixing bowl and whip with a whisk or a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until thickened. 
-Add the sugar and continue to whip until it holds medium-firm peaks.
Refrigerate until ready to use.


Caramel Sauce
http://mkdyy.blogspot.com/2010/12/homemade-caramel-saucevv.html 


Assembling of the Banana Cream Tart

Fully Baked and Cooled 10-inch Flaky Tart Dough Pie Shell

3oz Bittersweet chocolate coarsely chopped

1/2 c Caramel Sauce

2 1/2 c Pastry Cream 

3 Ripe Bananas, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds

3 oz Bittersweet chocolate bar for making curls

-Have the pie shell ready for filling. Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Remove from heat.

-Using a offset spatula, pastry brush, or the back of the spoon, spread the melted chocolate evenly over the bottom of the pie shell. Refrigerate for 10minutes to set the chocolate.

-Remove the pie shell from the refrigerator and drizzle the caramel evenly over the chocolate. Transfer the pastry cream to the shell. Arrange the banana slices evenly over the pastry cream, and then lightly press them into the cream.

-Using an offset or rubber spatula, spread the whipped cream on the top. Cover with chocolate curls and powdered sugar (optional)

-Chill the pie until the pastry cream is set, at least 3 hours. Serve the pie cool. 

Assembling of the Raspberry Tart

Fully Baked and Cooled 10-inch Flaky Tart Dough Pie Shell

3 oz Bittersweet chocolate coarsely chopped

1/3 c Caramel Sauce

1 Pastry Cream 

3 pints of fresh Raspberries 

-Have the pie shell ready for filling. Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Remove from heat.

-Using a offset spatula, pastry brush, or the back of the spoon, spread the melted chocolate evenly over the bottom of the pie shell. Refrigerate for 10minutes to set the chocolate.

-Remove the pie shell from the refrigerator and transfer the pastry cream to the shell. 

-Arrange raspberries evenly over the pastry cream, and then lightly press them into the cream.

-Using a spoon, drizzle the caramel sauce over the fresh raspberries evenly, 

-Sift the powdered sugar over the raspberries

-Chill the tart until the pastry cream is set, at least 1 hour. Serve the pie cool.

It was work but I loved every minute of it!  The gamers gave me good feedback and more ideas for the future!  Give it a go!