Bananas Foster Tart

Based on the famous New Orleans creation of sautéed bananas in rum sauce, this rich tart spells bliss.

Ingredients:

Crust
16	pecan shortbread cookies, very finely chopped (2½ cups/625 mL crumbs)
1/4	cup (50 mL) all-purpose flour
1/4	cup (50 mL) packed brown sugar
1/4	cup (50 mL) butter (1/2 stick), melted
Filling and Sauce
4	medium bananas
3	tbsp (45 mL) dark rum, divided
1/2	cup (125 mL) packed brown sugar
1/4	cup (50 mL) heavy whipping cream
1/4	cup (50 mL) butter (1/2 stick)
1/2	tsp (2 mL) Korintje Cinnamon
	Vanilla ice cream (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). For crust, spray one Torte Pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place an 8-in. (20-cm) circle of Parchment Paper over center of pan. Chop cookies with Food Chopper to form very fine crumbs. Combine crumbs, flour and brown sugar in Classic Batter Bowl. Stir in butter; mix until completely moistened. Press crumb mixture evenly over bottom of prepared pan. Bake 10-11 minutes or until light golden brown.
2. Remove pan from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack; let stand 20 minutes. Carefully invert crust onto serving platter; cool completely. Meanwhile, cut bananas diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick (6-mm) slices. Arrange bananas in an overlapping circular pattern over cooled crust. Brush bananas with 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the rum using Chef's Silicone Basting Brush.
3. In (2-qt./1.9-L) Saucepan, combine brown sugar, cream and butter; cook and stir with Silicone Sauce Whisk over medium-high heat 3-5 minutes or until mixture comes to a boil. Cook 2-3 minutes or until mixture is thickened and bubbly, stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat and cool 30 minutes. Stir in remaining 2 tbsp (30 mL) rum and cinnamon.
4. Reserve 1/2 cup (125 mL) of the sauce for serving. Drizzle remaining sauce over bananas. Serve warm with ice cream, if desired. Heat reserved sauce in microwave on HIGH 15 seconds; stir and drizzle over ice cream.

Yield: 12 servings

Nutrients per serving: Calories 300, Total Fat 16 g, Saturated Fat 7 g, Cholesterol 35 mg, Carbohydrate 38 g, Protein 2 g, Sodium 125 mg, Fiber 1 g

Cook's Tips: Spread crust mixture firmly into pan using your fingertips, being sure not to press crumbs in too thin of a layer around the inner rim of the pan. Otherwise, the crust becomes too fragile at that area and is prone to breaking.

For best flavor and texture, choose bananas at their peak ripeness for this recipe.