The classic tarte tatin is made with apples, but many other fruits are great: apricots or pears or plums – they all work well. Here is one of my favourite combinations: banana for softness and walnuts for crunch. It’s a super tasty and super quick sweet that always impresses.

Makes: 8 – 10 pieces

Time: Around an hour, maybe less if you get your skates on

Level: Quick and easy

Equipment: A tart tatin tin or an ovenproof frying pan or similar

Ingredients

A 275g/9.5oz roll of frozen ready-made puff pastry (you won’t need all of it.)
125g/4.5oz white sugar (caster or granulated)
75g/2.5oz butter, cut into pieces
3 large, firm bananas
50g/1.75oz walnut halves or pieces

Method

1. Take the pastry out in advance to come to room temperature. Pre-heat the oven to 200C / fan 180C / 400F / Gas 6.

2. Put the sugar in the pan with 1 – 2 tbsp water and heat gently at first to dissolve the sugar, then turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the syrup turns a light golden brown.

3. Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter. Tip and swirl the pan as the butter melts fully. Set aside while preparing the filling.

4. Peel and cut the bananas into 1.5cm thick slices (all the same thickness.) Arrange in the pan neatly and insert the walnuts into the gaps.

5. Open out the pastry on its backing paper and cut a circle a little larger than the pan. Lift the lined pastry and carefully invert it onto the bananas in the pan. Pull off the backing paper and use floured fingers to press the pastry edges down and around the filling. Prick with a fork.

6. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes until the pastry is a nice golden brown, puffed up and crisp. Carefully invert onto a serving plate. (Use a large plate in case it’s a bit runny and use a tea towel or similar to avoid problems with the heat.)

I love the combination of banana and nuts, especially walnuts, but there are so many possible great combinations. Here are a few you might want to experiment with (NB I’ve not tried all of these):

Bananas and blueberries
Bananas and Cherries
Bananas and chunks of marzipan
Bananas and chunks of chocolate

Finally, a few thoughts about what to serve with it. Obvious ideas spring to mind: whipped cream maybe, or Greek yogurt or creme fraiche. All are fine, but what about mixing it up a bit? If you have a spare banana you could puree it and add it to some cream or yogurt with a splash of brandy. Definitely worth a go. Let me know what you decide.

I hope you enjoy this lovely sweet. If you want to see more similar recipes click here. Or have a look at my site for lots of other recipes, sweet and savoury.

Here are some more of my sweet bakes that I think you’ll enjoy:

Chocolate Prune and Orange Tart.