chocolate, caramelized banana & caramel tarts

* adapted from an anna olson and a 'bon appétit' september 2003 recipe

pastry dough:
3/4 cup ground almonds, lightly toasted
1/4 cup ground pecans, lightly toasted
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
dash ground cloves
2/3 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces and chilled
1 egg yolk
1 whole egg
1 1/2 teaspoons butterscotch extract

Filling:
3 bananas
1 tin condensed milk
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons whipping cream
1 tablespoon coffee liqueur
1 teaspoon butterscotch extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Chocolate ganache topping
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 whole clove
4 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature

caramel sauce
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1/8 cup (1/4 stick) unsalted butter

directions:
1. Blend together almonds and pecans, flour, sugar and spices. Cut in butter until the texture of coarse meal.

2. Stir together yolk, egg and extract and blend into dough until it just comes together. Shape dough into a disc, wrap and chill for 2 hours.

3. Preheat oven to 350 F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to just greater than 1/4-inch thick. Cut out pieces to fit into six four-inch tart shells, line with pastry, trim edges and chill 15 minutes (this recipe makes enough for 12 tarts - I usually keep the remaining half in the freezer for a tart at a later time - it freezes beautifully).

4. Dock (prick holes in bottom of the pastry) pastry with a fork and line with parchment paper, weighted down with beans or pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown around the edges. Remove and allow to cool before going onto next step.

For Filling:
5. Slice bananas and lay on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with white sugar and caramelize with culinary torch/blow torch. Once cooled, arrange in bottom of each individual tart shell. Stir together condensed milk and brown sugar in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan. Have ready remaining ingredients. Whisking constantly over medium heat, cook condensed milk until it thickens, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in whipping cream, liqueur, vanilla and butter. Pour over bananas in tarts and spread evenly. Chill for 30 minutes.

For chocolate ganache topping:
6. Bring cream and corn syrup to boil in heavy small saucepan. Add clove; remove from heat. Cover; let steep 15 minutes. Discard clove. Return mixture to boil. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and butter; whisk ganache topping until smooth and allow to cool until just pourable.

7. Spoon chocolate ganache atop caramel filling. Refrigerate just until ganache sets, about 45 minutes, then let tartlets stand at room temperature. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover tartlets loosely and let stand at room temperature.)

For ginger caramel sauce:
8. Bring cream, brown sugar and butter to boil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer sauce until reduced to about 3/4 cup, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Before using, re-warm over medium-low heat, stirring frequently.)

9. Serve tarts at room temperature drizzled with caramel sauce and topped with a dollop of whipped cream if desired.

notes: