Banana Almond Custard Tart

Banana Almond Custard Tart

Text and Photo by Jac Kyles Baker 

Makes one 8 or 9 inch tart

Ingredients

For the shortbread crust:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

8 TB unsalted butter

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp almond extract

1/4 tsp salt

For the banana almond filling:

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup light brown sugar

3 ripe bananas, mashed

2 cups almond milk

3 TB cornstarch

2 TB unsalted butter, cold

Preparation

Prepare shortbread crust:

Place flour in a large bowl. 

In a separate bowl, beat butter, salt and sugar together until smooth.  Stir in almond extract.

Stir butter into flour to form a soft dough.  

Reserve 1/2 cup of dough for crumb topping.  Form small to large crumbs of dough and refrigerate until firm (about 15 minutes).

Meanwhile, press the dough into an 8 or 9 inch microwave safe tart pan or pie plate.  

Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

Remove shortbread crumbs from the refrigerator. 

Microwave on HIGH for 45 seconds to 1 minute on parchment paper.  Crumbs will feel firm but soft.   Place parchment paper on a wire rack to cool.

Remove tart crust from the refrigerator.  Microwave on HIGH for 45 seconds to 1 minute 30 seconds.  Check progress every 30 seconds.

Carefully remove tart pan from the microwave.  Cool tart crust completely on a wire rack.

Make banana filling:

Combine mashed banana and almond milk in a bowl.  Strain milk through a sieve into another bowl.  Set aside.

In a large microwave safe bowl, stir sugar and cornstarch together, breaking up any lumps with the spoon.  Slowly whisk in banana/almond milk mixture until smooth.

Cook on HIGH (80% power) a total of 5 minutes, stirring every  30 seconds.  The mixture will be thick  like a pudding. Whisk in butter.  Set aside to cool.

Assemble tart:

Pour cooled filling into tart crust.  Completely cover filling with cookie crumbs.

Refrigerate tart until filling is set and firm. 

Keep tart refrigerated but it's best not to serve it straight from the refrigerator.  Let slices sit at room temperature at least 5 minutes before serving.