One of my favorite snacks is a slice of toast with peanut butter and Nutella. I like to smear the peanut butter on one side of the bread and Nutella on the other, and sometimes I add a few slices of banana.
It’s simple. It’s delicious.
As I was contemplating how universally popular this combination is, I wondered how these flavors might taste if they were elevated to an elegant dessert. This tart turned out to be one of the best desserts I’ve made in quite a while. I shared it with friends, and it was gobbled up immediately. Since I’ve often found Nutella to be rather rich and a bit too sweet, I lightened it up for the filling by making it fluffier. The peanut butter cookie crust is perfectly buttery and so easy to put together, while the bananas on top are just enough to not overpower the other flavors.
I already can’t wait to make this tart again. Next time, for a fancier presentation, I might brulee the banana slices 10 minutes before serving the tart; however, this dessert, as it stands, is still elegant and delicious.
Peanut Butter, Nutella and Banana Tart
Makes 1 9-inch tart
Courtesy of Amrita Rawat
Crust (recipe follows)
8 oz. Nutella
1 Tbsp. butter, room temperature
¾ cup heavy cream
3 oz. cream cheese plus additional as desired
1 banana, sliced into rounds
Pinch sea salt
• First, make the crust (recipe follows).
• While the crust is cooling, beat the Nutella, butter, heavy cream and cream cheese together until smooth. You may add more cream according to taste.
• Spread the filling into the cooled crust.
• Sprinkle sea salt over the top of the tart.
• Decorate with freshly sliced bananas just before serving.
• Serve chilled and store in the fridge for up to 3 days (if it manages to last that long!).
Peanut Butter, Nutella and Banana Tart Crust
Makes one 9-inch crust
Adapted by Amrita Rawat from a recipe originally published in The Pie and Pastry Bible ¼ cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
4 Tbsp. butter, room temperature
½ cup smooth peanut butter
½ large egg (beaten lightly, weighing 25 grams or 0.8 ounces)*
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking soda
Pinch salt
½ tsp. vanilla
• Spray a 9-inch tart pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
• In a clean bowl, beat the sugars with the butter. Then add the peanut butter and the egg and beat well.
• Stir in the rest of the ingredients and combine until smooth. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Press the dough into the tart pan.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Use the bottom of a glass to press the dough down if it puffs up.
• Let cool completely.
* If you don’t have a scale or want to measure out half of an egg, double the recipe and make 2 tarts or make cookies with the rest of the dough. I promise, you won’t regret it.
Come see Amrita in all her baking glory every Saturday at the Tower Grove Farmers Market, from 8 a.m. to noon, where she sells her famous macarons as well as macaron ice cream sandwiches with homemade ice cream, mini cakes and other sweet treats.Â
This article appears in September 2012.
