Gooey chocolate tarts with caramelised banana & caramel ice cream

This is one of our signature desserts, which we can’t take off our menu. If you don’t have enough time to make all the components, take a shortcut by buying a good-quality caramel ice cream, instead of making your own.

makes 8 little tarts

CARAMEL ICE CREAM

395 g (13¾ oz) tin of sweetened condensed milk

500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) milk

2 tablespoons lime juice

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) liquid glucose

HONEYCOMB

cooking oil or spray

125 g (4½ oz) liquid glucose

360 g (12¾ oz) caster (superfine) sugar

3 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

CHOCOLATE SWEET PASTRY

1 free-range egg

1 free-range egg yolk

70 g (2½ oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar

125 g (4½ oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature

150 g (5½ oz/1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting

40 g (1½ oz/¹/₃ cup) unsweetened cocoa powder

CHOCOLATE TART FILLING

95 g (3¼ oz) dark chocolate (72% cocoa)

90 g (3¼ oz) unsalted butter, chopped

3 free-range eggs

150 g (5½ oz/²/₃ cup) caster (superfine) sugar

55 g (2 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted

CARAMELISED BANANA

4 baby or lady finger bananas, skin on, cut in half lengthways

4 tablespoons soft brown sugar

FOR THE CARAMEL ICE CREAM Remove the label from the unopened tin of condensed milk. Fill a deep, medium-sized saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Carefully place the tin in the saucepan, ensuring there is enough water to completely cover the tin at all times. Simmer, uncovered, for 3 hours, topping up the water frequently. Carefully remove the tin from the boiling water. Allow to cool completely before opening.

Warm the milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the caramel from the condensed milk tin, whisking well to ensure there are no lumps. Remove from the heat, add the lime juice and glucose and mix well. Strain into a bowl and chill for 2–3 hours until cold.

Pour into an ice cream maker. Churn until just set, then transfer to an airtight container and place in the freezer until needed.

FOR THE HONEYCOMB Line a 20 x 30 cm (8 x 12 inch) heatproof tray with baking paper and lightly oil it. Place the glucose, sugar, honey and 75 ml (2¼ fl oz) water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then cook until the mixture turns quite a dark caramel colour.

Remove from the heat, stand for 2 minutes, then whisk in the bicarbonate of soda. Whisk just enough so that it is incorporated into the caramel, taking care not to over-mix or the honeycomb will collapse.

Pour onto the prepared tray and leave at room temperature for about 1 hour to cool. Break into pieces when set. Store in the freezer in an airtight container until needed.

FOR THE PASTRY In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, whisk the egg, egg yolk and icing sugar for 3–4 minutes, until pale and thick. Change from the whisk to a paddle attachment, if your mixer has one, then slowly add the butter and mix until combined.

Sift the flour and cocoa powder together and lightly fold into the egg mixture, scraping down the side of the bowl to ensure it is well combined. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead until almost smooth. Shape into a disc, cover with plastic wrap and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 165ºC (320ºF). Set out eight 9 cm (3½ inch) round, fluted tart (flan) tins with removable bases. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out 4 mm (³/₁₆ inch) thick. Cut into eight 12 cm (4½ inch) circles. Line the tart tins, trim the edges with a sharp knife and rest in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Place the tart tins on a baking tray. Line the pastry with baking paper and fill with dried rice or beans. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the baking paper and rice or beans and bake for a further 5 minutes, or until pastry is just cooked through. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

FOR THE FILLING Place the chocolate and butter in a metal bowl and set over a saucepan of simmering water until melted.

Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a bowl until light and pale. Add the melted chocolate mixture and stir to combine. Fold the sifted flour through.

TO BAKE THE TARTS Preheat the oven to 170ºC (325ºF). Place the tart shells on a baking tray. Spoon the chocolate tart filling into a piping (icing) bag and pipe into each tart case.

Bake for 6–7 minutes, until the filling is just set, but still gooey inside.

FOR THE CARAMELISED BANANA While the tarts are in the oven, place the bananas on a heatproof tray and sprinkle with the sugar.

Use a kitchen blow torch to melt the sugar until you have a nice caramel, or place the coated bananas under a hot grill (broiler).

TO SERVE Top each tart with some bits of honeycomb. Serve with the caramelised banana and a scoop of caramel ice cream.