Five decades may have gone by, but Nutella remains as sweet as ever. The beloved chocolate-hazelnut spread celebrates its 50th anniversary this year with a nation-wide, 16-city food truck tour.
In light of the tour, turned to chefs across the nation, including ICE's own Director of ¹ú²ú¸£Àû Development, Chef James Briscione, to develop iconic Nutella desserts that celebrate the local culinary culture of each of the truck's 16 stops. James chose to reinterpret Bananas Foster, a classic New Orleans dessert invented in the 1950s. It's difficult to imagine caramelized bananas and rum leaving room for improvement, but a whipped Nutella cream transforms the dish into a celebration-worthy stunner.
Bananas Foster Tartlet with Nutella Cream
Yield: 4 servings
For the Frangipane:
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar
- Pinch salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup finely ground hazelnuts or almonds
- 1 fl oz dark rum
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions:
- Combine the sugar, salt, and butter in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, vanilla, and rum; continue mixing until fully incorporated.
- Add the ground nuts and flour and fold together until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Excess frangipane may be stored refrigerated up to 2 weeks.
For the tartlets:
Ingredients:
- 4 (4-inch) rounds puff pastry
- 2 ripe bananas
- Granulated sugar, as needed
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup Nutella
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375° F
- Place the rounds of puff pastry on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Spread the frangipane on the dough, leaving an approximately ¼ inch border. Bake the tart until the crust is risen around the frangipane and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cool on the pan.
- Thinly slice the bananas and tile over the tarts. Spread a thin, even layer of sugar over the tart and brûlée with a torch.
- Pour the cream into a chilled bowl and whisk to soft peaks. Place the Nutella in a separate bowl. Whisk half of the whipped cream into the Nutella. Add the remaining cream and fold together until smooth and lightened.
- To serve, place the brûléed tart in the center of a plate and top with the Nutella cream.
