Recipes

Banana Bakewell tart with banana ice cream

Looking for something a little different to make with ripe bananas? This roasted banana Bakewell tart puts a delicious twist on the classic, combining sweet roasted banana, homemade banana jam, and a rich almond filling inside crisp shortcrust pastry.

Roasting the bananas first helps intensify their naturally sweet flavour, while a little maple syrup gives the finished tart a lovely glossy finish. Served with simple no-churn banana ice cream, it’s an unexpected way to turn ripe bananas into something seriously special.

Ingredients

For the roasted banana Bakewell filling

5 ripe bananas
100g unsalted butter, softened
100g caster sugar
2 large eggs
100g ground almonds
50g plain flour
100g roasted banana flesh
1 sheet ready-rolled shortcrust pastry, or homemade equivalent
Baking beans, for blind baking
Small handful flaked almonds
Few whole peeled almonds, optional
1–2 tbsp maple syrup, warmed

For the banana jam

3 overripe bananas, diced
50g unsalted butter
75g caster sugar

For the banana ice cream

Frozen ripe bananas, peeled

Method

1. Roast the bananas

Preheat the oven to 180°C, 160°C fan, Gas 4.

Place the whole bananas, still in their skins, onto a baking tray and roast for around 25 minutes, or until the skins have blackened and the bananas are soft and beginning to split open.

Allow them to cool enough to handle, then scoop out the roasted banana flesh. Don’t throw away any of the banana liquid on the tray. Stir it back into the fruit to heighten the flavour.

Set aside 100g of the roasted banana for the Bakewell filling.

2. Make the banana jam

Add the diced overripe bananas, butter and caster sugar to a saucepan.

Cook over a medium heat for around 10–15 minutes, stirring regularly, until the bananas have broken down and the mixture has thickened into a jam.

Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

3. Make the banana ice cream

Peel your bananas and freeze until completely solid.

Add the frozen bananas to a food processor and blitz until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and return to the freezer until firm enough to scoop.

No added sugar or dairy is needed. The frozen bananas do all the hard work.

4. Blind bake the pastry case

Preheat the oven to 180°C, 160°C fan, Gas 4.

Line a 23cm tart tin with the shortcrust pastry and trim away any excess. Prick the base with a fork, line with baking paper and fill with baking beans.

Bake for 15 minutes, then carefully remove the baking paper and beans. Return to the oven for another 5–10 minutes, until lightly golden.

Leave to cool slightly.

5. Make the roasted banana Bakewell filling

Cream together the softened butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy.

Add 100g of the roasted banana and mix well, followed by the eggs, one at a time.

Don’t worry if the mixture looks slightly split at this stage. The banana won’t emulsify in quite the same way as the other ingredients.

Finally, fold through the plain flour and ground almonds until combined.

6. Assemble the banana Bakewell tart

Spread a generous layer of the cooled banana jam over the base of the blind-baked pastry case.

Spoon the roasted banana and almond filling over the top and gently level it out.

Finish with a scattering of flaked almonds and a few whole peeled almonds, if using.

7. Bake

Reduce the oven temperature to 165°C, 150°C fan, Gas 3.

Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the filling is golden and set.

Leave the tart to cool slightly in the tin.

8. Finish and serve

While the Bakewell is still a little warm, brush the top with warm maple syrup for a glossy finish and an extra touch of sweetness.

Slice and serve with a scoop of your homemade banana ice cream.

Why roast the bananas?

Roasting is a brilliant way to make the most of ripe bananas. As they cook, they become soft and intensely sweet, producing delicious banana juices that can be added back into the mixture for even more flavour.

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