Walnut Frangipane And Banana Tartlets Recipes

WALNUT FRANGIPANE AND BANANA TARTLETS

Steps:

• Blend first 4 ingredients in processor until nuts are finely ground. Using electric mixer, beat butter, 5 tablespoons sugar, and brown sugar in bowl until blended. Beat in eggs, then ground walnut mixture. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
• Roll out each pastry sheet on lightly floured surface to 10-inch square. Using 5-inch-diameter plate as guide, cut out 4 rounds from each square. Using tip of small knife, score 4-inch-diameter circle in center of each 5-inch round (do not cut completely through pastry). Pierce 4-inch centers thoroughly with fork. Place pastry rounds on large baking sheet. Chill until very cold, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread 2 1/2 tablespoons frangipane over 4-inch center of each pastry round (reserve remaining frangipane for another use). Arrange banana ovals decoratively on frangipane. Sprinkle bananas on each tart with 1 teaspoon sugar. Bake until pastry is deep golden and bananas begin to brown, about 25 minutes.
• Brush bananas with warm apricot jam. Sift powdered sugar over tartlets. Serve warm or at room temperature.

APPLE-AND-BLACK-WALNUT-FRANGIPANI TART

Steps:

• To make the dough, put the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the egg and pulse until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. (Add water a teaspoon at a time if the dough seems too dry.) Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a circle about 12 inches in diameter and ease it into a 10-inch tart pan. Trim the edges. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spread the chilled crust with the frangipani. Peel, halve, core and thinly slice the apples. Fan the apples over the frangipani. Combine the sugar and the cinnamon in a small cup, mix well and sprinkle over the apples. Bake until the crust is browned and the apples are soft, about 40 to 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.
• Remove the tart from the pan. Warm the apple jelly in a small saucepan over low heat until it is just melted. Brush the hot jelly over the surface of the tart. Brush the crust with jelly and dust the crust with ground walnuts. Dust the crust again with powdered sugar. Slice and serve.

WALNUT FRANGIPANI

Steps:

• In a food processor, finely grind the walnuts and the granulated sugar. Set aside. With an electric mixer on medium speed, cream the brown sugar and the butter until light and fluffy. Add the ground nut mixture, cinnamon and rum or vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Lower the mixer to the lowest speed and stir in the flour mixture until just absorbed. Use as a filling for tarts, pastries and other baked goods. It will keep refrigerated, tightly sealed, for 3 days or frozen for up to 6 months.