Bake It Now: Banana Rum Truffle Tart
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Chocolate is one of my favorite treats, and holiday occasions are the perfect excuse to indulge. The no-bake chocolate filling for this tart is based on my favorite truffle recipe. For a rich and sophisticated flavor, I like to use a bittersweet chocolate with a high percentage (68 to 70 percent) of cocoa solids (Scharffen Berger has a lovely one), but any bittersweet variety will work well. I've topped it with a sophisticated whipped mascarpone and paired it with a killer sweet-and-salty pretzel press-in crust. The combination is intriguing and divinely addictive.
Don't be fooled by this tart's appearance. While it looks like a simple chocolate cream tart, a thin wedge of this rich, fudgy confection is all that's needed to satisfy one's chocolate passion.
Flavor swap: Change the fruit. Instead of the bananas, omit the cooking, butter, sugar, and rum and use 6 oz. raspberries or 8 oz. cherries (bing or Rainier), pitted and halved.
Finishing touches: Just before serving, lightly dust with unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
Make ahead:
- 1 cup finely crushed salted pretzel crumbs
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Good pinch of table salt
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 14 ounces bittersweet chocolate
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 1/4 teaspoons table salt
- 2 medium (5 ounces each) ripe bananas
- 2 tablespoons firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons dark rum
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup mascarpone
- 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons dark rum
- Pinch of table salt
- Pretzel sticks
- :::crust:::
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Have ready a 9 1⁄4-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.
- Put the pretzel crumbs, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl and stir until blended. Pour the melted butter over the crumbs and, using a silicone spatula, mix until well blended and the crumbs are evenly moist. Taste and add more salt if needed—the flavor should be both sweet and salty. Dump the mixture into the tart pan and lay a large piece of plastic on top of the crumbs. With your fingers directly on the plastic, press the crumbs evenly into the bottom and sides of the pan. (A straight-sided, flat-bottomed coffee mug or a measuring cup works well at the end to ensure the crumbs are tightly packed on the bottom.) Remove the plastic and bake the crust until fragrant, 9 to 11 minutes. Move the pan to a rack and set aside to cool.
- :::filling:::
- Cut 4 tablespoons of the butter into pieces, then add it with the chocolate and milk to a medium, heatproof bowl and melt in a microwave or in a medium bowl set over simmering water. Remove from the heat, add the salt, and whisk until well blended and smooth. Set aside.
- Peel the bananas, slice into 1⁄2-inch pieces, and cut each piece in half. Put the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a medium skillet and cook over medium heat until melted and bubbling. Add the banana pieces and sprinkle with the brown sugar and rum. Cook, using a silicone spatula to turn and gently stir, until the bananas are slightly softened and the juices are reduced and very thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Slide the pan off the heat.
- Pour about one-third of the chocolate mixture into the crust and spread evenly to form a thin layer. Scatter the bananas in an even layer over the top and pour the remaining chocolate on top to cover the bananas and form an even layer. Refrigerate until the filling is chilled, about 3 hours. Cover and continue chilling until the filling is set, about another 4 hours, or up to 2 days, before proceeding with the recipe.
- :::topping:::
- Put the heavy cream, mascarpone, brown sugar, rum, and salt in a medium bowl and beat with an electric handheld mixer fitted with wire beaters on low speed until smooth. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until the cream is thick and holds firm peaks.
- Scrape the topping onto the center of the filling and, using a small offset or silicone spatula, spread to cover the filling, leaving the center slightly domed along with lots of swirls and peaks. Cover loosely and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours or up to 8 hours.
- Set the tart pan on top of a wide can and allow the outer ring to drop down (see the Essential Technique on the facing page). Move the tart to the counter and run a long, thin metal spatula between the bottom crust and the bottom of the pan. Using two long, wide spatulas, carefully lift and slide the tart onto a flat serving plate. Run a thin knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and cut the tart into slices, heating and wiping the knife after every slice. Serve the slices topped with the pretzel sticks.