Crust

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 6 tbs cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 tbs frozen chilled vegetable shortening
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg yolk at room temp

Banana Filling

• 4 lg ripe bananas, peeled
• 1 cup macadamia nuts, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
• 1 tbs butter, melted
• 1 tbs sugar

To make the crust, combine flour, sugar and salt in food processor. Process until blended. Add butter and shortening and quickly pulse until mixture resembles small peas. Add vanilla and egg yolk and process until mixture almost forms a ball. Remove from processor bowl and form into a disk. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425. On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to an 11” circle. Press into bottom of 9” tart pan with removable bottom. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool.

Increase oven temperature to 450. Slice bananas on the diagonal. Lay the slices overlapping slightly, onto the pastry round in concentric circle until crust is totally covered. Sprinkle the macadamia nuts over the tart. Brush the top of the bananas with butter, sprinkle with sugar. Cover crust edges with foil. Place in oven and bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Serve warm with scoop of vanilla ice cream, Caramel Rum Sauce and sprinkling of powdered sugar.

Caramel Rum Sauce

• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup water
• ¾ cup whipping cream
• 1 ½ tbs dark rum

Stir sugar and water in heavy sauce pan until dissolved. Increase heat. Boil until sugar turns amber, brushing down sides with wet pastry brush (about 12 minutes). Turn heat to low. Add cream (it will bubble and spit and turn hard for a moment, continue to stir until smooth). Remove from heat and add rum.