Banoffee mousse tart

This hybrid banana-toffee pie was created in an English restaurant, The Hungry Monk, in 1972. It consisted of a shortcrust pastry base topped with caramelised condensed milk, sliced bananas and indulgently thick layers of whipped cream flavoured with instant coffee powder. Here, we’ve made it a little lighter than the original, with cacao nibs for a little extra crunch.

• serves

  8

• prep

  45 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 100 g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
• 250 g digestive biscuits
• 2 bananas, sliced
• 80 ml (⅓ cup) double cream
• 2 tbsp cacao nibs

Caramel mousse

• 1 titanium-strength gelatine leaf (see Note)
• 80 ml (⅓ cup) dulce de leche (see Note) or tinned caramel
• 80 ml (⅓ cup) thickened cream

Banana mousse

• 2 bananas
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 titanium-strength gelatine leaf (see Note)
• 250 ml (1 cup) thickened cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Chilling time 3 hours

Instructions

Grease a 30 cm x 10 cm rectangular tart pan with removable base. Process biscuits in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Add butter, processing until combined. Press mixture evenly into base and sides of prepared pan. Refrigerate until needed.

To make caramel mousse, soak gelatine leaf in cold water for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat dulce de leche and cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until dulce de leche melts. Remove from heat. Squeeze excess liquid from gelatine leaf and add to dulce de leche mixture, whisking to dissolve. Strain into biscuit shell and refrigerate for 1 hour.

To make banana mousse, mash bananas in a bowl with sugar and lemon juice. Place in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, soak gelatine leaf in cold water for 5 minutes. Remove banana mixture from heat, squeeze excess liquid from gelatine leaf and add to banana mixture, whisking to dissolve. Whisk in cream and vanilla, then strain into a jug, pressing to extract as much banana as possible. Cool, then carefully pour banana mousse over caramel mousse. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set. Serve topped with sliced bananas, drizzled with double cream and scattered with cacao nibs.

Note

• Gelatine leaves are available from delis and specialist food shops

• Dulce de leche is caramelised milk available from South American food shops.

Photography by Chris Chen

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.