In this month's issue of Everyday Food, one of Martha Stewart's many magazines, she sings the praises of the bottomless tart pan. My kitchen, while big and filled with lots of natural light, lacks a lot of the more sophisticated cookware on the market. Eventually, I'll get that big Cuisinart food processor of my dreams, or the salad spinner I've needed for so many years. But usually, I try to make do with what I have.
So I made a cherry tart recipe from the magazine in a regular pie pan a few days ago. And while it was delicious, it wasn't nearly as beautiful as the one in the photograph. Of course, I lack the professional food photography skills that Martha has available to her, which means that nothing comes out looking as perfect as her versions. Nonetheless, I decided that it was time to go out and get a bottomless tart pan. Too many compromised recipes, too many messy tarts, pies and cakes in my past.
On Saturday morning, I went to the thrift store, and picked up the beautiful stainless steel tool for less than a dollar. Shhh... Don't tell too many people about this option. It might put the chain stores out of business.
Yesterday, as I was getting ready to leave work, I was aching to put my new pan to use. Cutting and seeding the bing cherries from the previous recipe took way longer than I was willing to commit, so I decided to search for an easier recipe. I came up with this Banana Chocolate Tart recipe from Gourmet Magazine, found through epicurious.com.
As I went through the aisles of Hills, grabbing my ingredients, I decided to splurge a little and buy Ghirardelli chocolate chips and some of our fancier apricot preserves. I promise that the difference in using quality ingredients is always apparent, even if the outcome doesn't look like the picture.
It's going to take some practice, learning how to use my new pan, having the patience to evenly spread those graham cracker crumbs into every curve, but I think that it will be worth it. And I'll get to try a lot of lovely desserts in the process.
Banana Chocolate Tart
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons dark rum
6 firm-ripe bananas
1/4 cup apricot preserves
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Blend crumbs, butter, 1/3 cup sugar, and salt in a food processor until mixture begins to hold together and pat onto bottom and up side of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Bake in middle of oven until side of crust is firm to the touch, 14 to 18 minutes.
Sprinkle chocolate chips into hot crust and let stand 5 minutes to soften. Spread evenly over bottom of crust. Beat cream with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar and rum until it holds soft peaks. Cut bananas into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Whisk preserves and add bananas, tossing to coat. Spoon banana mixture into crust and top with whipped cream.
Gourmet, January 2000
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