A crisp, Sweet shortcrust pastry case is filled with a layer of strawberry conserve and thickly sliced bananas, then topped with a light but luscious lemon and fromage frais mixture that sets as it bakes. No sugar is needed in the filling as the bananas, fruit conserve and lemon curd provide lots of sweetness.
B12 * A, B2, copper, zinc
For a chocolate pastry case, make the pastry substituting 25 g (scant 1 oz) sifted cocoa powder for the same amount of flour, and leave out the lemon zest. * For a ginger and honey banana tart, flavour the pastry with orange rather than lemon zest. While the tart case is baking ‘blind’, gently heat 300 ml (10 fl oz) semi-skimmed milk with a 1 cm (½ in) piece of fresh root ginger, roughly chopped, to boiling point. Remove from the heat and infuse for 20 minutes. After baking the tart case, reduce the oven temperature to 160°C (325°F, gas mark 3). Spread 4 tbsp peach or apricot jam over the bottom of the tart case. Arrange 3 sliced bananas over the jam. Blend 1 tsp cornflour with 1 tsp milk in a bowl, then whisk in 2 eggs, 1 egg yolk and 2 tbsp clear honey. Bring the milk back to boiling point and pour onto the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Strain into the pastry case, discarding the pieces of ginger. Bake for 35 minutes or until lightly set. Serve at room temperature.
Bananas have a high potassium content. This mineral is essential for the proper functioning of nerves and muscles in particular, but is also needed by all cells in the body. * Fromage frais has a wonderfully creamy flavour, but is relatively low in fat. It provides useful amounts of protein, calcium and vitamin B12.