Nutty banana tart recipe

A truly indulgent dessert with gorgeous nutty pastry and creamy mascarpone and banana filling, all finished with a sticky nut and honey topping

Ingredients

For the base:

• 100g (3½ oz) walnut pieces or halves
• 150g (5oz) plain flour
• 60g (2oz) butter
• 45g (1½ oz) icing sugar

For the topping:

• Finely grated zest and 5 tbsp juice from 2 limes
• 250g tub mascarpone cheese
• 30g (1oz) butter
• 60g (2oz) walnut pieces
• 60g (2oz) hazelnuts, chopped
• 1 good tbsp clear honey
• 3 bananas
• Heavy baking sheet, greased

Method

1. To make the base, put the walnuts in a food processor and whizz until just ground. Add the flour, butter and the icing sugar and pulse to mix the ingredients, then add about 4 tsp cold water and whizz again to make a soft dough. Knead on the work surface.
2. Put the pastry on the baking sheet and press out to a 23cm (9in) round. Mark it into 8 or 10 sections, to make cutting for serving easier. Decorate the edge. Chill for 20-30 minutes.
3. Bake pastry on the top shelf of the oven at 180°C (350°F, gas mark 4) for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Carefully re-mark the sections without cutting through. Leave to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes to firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
4. To make the topping, mix the lime zest and juice into the mascarpone, cover and chill.
5. Melt the butter in a pan, add the nuts and fry for a few minutes until beginning to brown. Stir in the honey and take off the heat. Spread the lime mascarpone over the pastry. Slice the bananas and press them into the filling. Spoon the honey nuts over the top in the middle.