Brown Butter Custard. Caramelized Banana. Hazelnut Crumble.
INGREDIENTS:
Pastry Base
1 sheet all-butter puff pastry, cold (approx. 320g / 11oz)
1 egg, beaten (egg wash)
Brown Butter Custard
120g / ½ cup unsalted butter
3 large egg yolks
80g / ⅓ cup caster sugar
2 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp cornstarch
250ml / 1 cup whole milk, warm
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pinch of fine sea salt
Caramelized Bananas
3 ripe but firm bananas, peeled and sliced 1cm / ½ inch thick
2 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp dark rum or bourbon (optional)
Pinch of flaky sea salt
Hazelnut Crumble
80g / ⅔ cup blanched hazelnuts, roughly chopped
40g / ⅓ cup plain flour
40g / 3 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
3 tbsp light brown sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of fine salt
Finish
Dark caramel sauce for drizzling
Flaky sea salt
Extra chopped hazelnuts
Brown butter custard is regular custard that decided to become something — nuttier, deeper, and almost caramel-flavored before the sugar even arrives. Spread thick inside a puff pastry border and topped with lacquered bananas, it becomes the tart that makes everyone ask for the recipe before they finish the slice.
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F and line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
Make the hazelnut crumble — rub the cold butter into the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt until the mixture resembles rough, irregular crumbs.
Add the chopped hazelnuts and toss through — the crumble should have pieces of varying sizes for texture contrast.
Spread on a lined tray and bake at 175°C / 350°F for 10–12 minutes until deep golden and fragrant — cool completely and set aside.
Brown the butter for the custard — melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the milk solids turn deep amber and the butter smells intensely nutty — about 6–8 minutes.
Pour the brown butter immediately into a heatproof bowl and cool for 5 minutes.
Whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar together until pale and slightly thickened — about 2 minutes.
Whisk in the flour and cornstarch until no lumps remain.
Pour the warm milk slowly into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent scrambling.
Transfer to a saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking continuously, until the custard thickens and bubbles — about 4–5 minutes.
Remove from heat and whisk in the cooled brown butter, vanilla, and salt until completely smooth and glossy.
Press cling film directly onto the custard surface and cool to room temperature — approximately 30 minutes.
Unroll the cold puff pastry onto the lined baking tray and score a 2cm / ¾ inch border around the full perimeter — do not cut through.
Brush the border with egg wash and prick the interior base all over with a fork.
Bake the pastry base at 200°C / 400°F for 15 minutes until the border is puffed and golden and the interior is set and dry.
Press the interior base flat with the back of a spoon if it has puffed — the border should remain tall.
Spread the cooled brown butter custard evenly across the pastry interior in a thick, level layer.
For the caramelized bananas, melt butter in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat, add sugar and cook until it begins to caramelize — add banana slices in a single layer, cook 2 minutes per side until deeply golden, deglaze with rum if using, and arrange immediately on the custard. Scatter the hazelnut crumble across the surface, drizzle with dark caramel sauce, and finish with flaky sea salt before serving.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes + 30 minutes cooling
Servings: 6–8 slices
⚡ Difficulty: Medium
