Festive Choco Banana Torte Recipes

FESTIVE CHOCO-BANANA TORTE

Steps:

• Arrange 24 wafers, flat-sides down, on bottom of parchment-lined 9-inch springform pan.
• Reserve 1/2 oz. chocolate. Microwave remaining chocolate, 1 cup marshmallows and 1/2 cup milk in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min.; stir until smooth. Pour over wafers in pan.
• Stand remaining wafers, rounded-sides out, around edge of pan, pressing slightly into chocolate to secure; top with bananas.
• Beat pudding mix and remaining milk in medium bowl with whisk 2 min. Stir in 1 cup whipped topping and remaining marshmallows; spread over bananas. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.
• Run knife under warm running water; use to loosen dessert from rim of pan. Remove rim. Cut reserved chocolate piece into shavings. Top torte with remaining whipped topping, chocolate shavings and strawberry.

BRAZILIAN BANANA AND WHITE CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM TORTE

Steps:

• For crust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Finely chop all nuts with sugar in processor. Add butter and blend until well combined. Press mixture firmly onto sides, then bottom of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Freeze 10 minutes. Bake until light brown, about 20 minutes. Cool on rack.
• For Ice Cream:
• Bring 1 cup cream, half and half and sugar to simmer in heavy medium saucepan, stirring occasionally. Whisk yolks in medium bowl. Whisk in hot cream mixture. Return mixture to saucepan and stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 5 minutes; do not boil. Strain into bowl. Add white chocolate; whisk until melted. Mix in remaining 2 cups cream. Chill until cold.
• Peel and slice 1 1/2 pounds bananas. Puree bananas with lemon juice in processor. Mix puree into custard. Transfer custard to ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's instructions. Spoon ice cream into prepared crust; smooth top. Cover and freeze overnight. (Can be made 1 week ahead; keep frozen.)
• For sauce:
• Bring cream and syrup to simmer in medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low. Add chocolate; whisk until smooth. Cool to lukewarm. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm over low heat before using; do not boil.)
• Remove pan sides from torte. Arrange bananas and strawberries in rows atop ice cream. Serve with sauce.

FESTIVE CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, chocolate and vanilla; beat until well blended. Add combined flour, baking powder and salt alternately with milk, mixing well after each addition. Pour into greased wax paper-lined 15x10x1-inch baking pan.
• Bake 25 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Run knife or metal spatula around pan to loosen sides; invert onto wire rack. Carefully remove wax paper; cool completely. Cut cake crosswise into 3 (10x5-inch) rectangles.
• Frost 2 of the cake layers with half of the whipped topping; stack on serving plate. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread top of cake with pie filling. Frost sides of cake with remaining whipped topping. Store in refrigerator.

BANANA TARTE TATIN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Melt the sugar and butter together on a low heat without stirring the mixture. Once the sugar has melted, turn up the heat and bubble until it turns a deep caramel colour. If the butter separates from the caramel, take the pan off the heat and add 1 tbsp of warm water, stirring until the butter emulsifies again.
• Pour the caramel into a 23cm cake tin with a solid base and spread the caramel out quickly with the back of a warm spoon. Slice the bananas into 2cm-thick pieces and arrange them, cut-side down, in concentric circles in the tin, then sprinkle over a pinch of sea salt and half the orange zest.
• Cut the pastry into a circle 3cm larger than the tin. Lay the pastry on top of the bananas and tuck the edges down inside the tin. Bake in the oven for 25-30 mins until the pastry is risen and cooked through. Whisk the double cream with the icing sugar until soft peaks form. Add the rum, cinnamon and remaining orange zest, and whisk until just combined.
• Leave the tart to cool in the tin for 5 mins, then carefully turn the tart out onto a large plate, wearing oven gloves in case the hot caramel splashes. Serve with the cream.