Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Start out by making the cinnamon sugar pumpkin seed and hazelnut crunch. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a heavy-bottomed medium skillet, add the butter and melt it over medium heat until it just begins to brown. You’ll see the butter melt, foam, and froth, and then start to brown along the bottom. This is the moment when the nutty flavor develops.
- Once the butter is browned, remove it from heat and stir in the vanilla, hazelnuts, pepitas, and pumpkin seeds. Follow this with the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Toss everything together well, ensuring it’s all coated in that delicious butter.
- Spread the mixture out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast it in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to ensure nothing burns. The mix should become golden and fragrant. Once done, remove it from the oven and set it aside.
- Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. While the crunch is roasting, prepare the tarte. On a floured surface, roll out the puff pastry into a rough 10-inch circle. Transfer the pastry to a floured cookie sheet.
- Spread the Nutella over the rolled out pastry, ensuring it’s evenly covered. Once done, place the sheet in the fridge to keep it chilled while you prepare the caramel.
- In a 9 or 10-inch skillet, heat the sugar over medium-high heat. Stir frequently to help it melt evenly. Watch closely as it cooks; you want it to turn a medium amber color. This is when the caramel flavor develops.
- Once the sugar is the right color, remove it from the heat and let it sit for about 2 minutes. Carefully stir in the salt, butter, and heavy cream until you achieve a smooth consistency.
- Now, arrange the bananas in the skillet, overlapping them slightly if necessary. Return the skillet to medium heat and allow it to cook for about 2 minutes. Drizzle the vanilla over the bananas and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Take the chilled pastry and place it, Nutella side facing down, over the bananas. Use your fingers to tuck the pastry around and slightly under the bananas, ensuring it’s snug.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and lightly golden brown. Once done, remove from the oven and let it sit for a minute to cool slightly. Carefully invert the tarte onto a serving plate. If some bananas slide out of place, don’t worry; just slide them back.
- Serve warm with a generous scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar, pumpkin seed, and hazelnut crunch. Enjoy the explosion of flavors and textures!
Notes
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. However, the pastry is best consumed fresh.