WARM BANANA TARTLETS WITH PEANUT CRUNCH ICE CREAM

Warm Banana Tartlets with Peanut Crunch Ice Cream image

Provided by Bridget Batson

Yield Makes 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ice cream
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 cups half and half
1 1/4 cups chopped lightly salted roasted peanuts (about 6 ounces)
1/2 cup sugar
7 large egg yolks
2/3 cup chopped peanut brittle
Tartlets
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2/3 cup finely chopped lightly salted roasted peanuts (about 3 ounces)
1 17.3-ounce package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
1 egg, beaten to blend (for glaze)
4 bananas, peeled, thinly sliced into rounds

Steps:

For ice cream:
Bring cream and half and half to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Add peanuts. Cover; remove from heat. Let stand 30 minutes. Strain cream mixture through sieve set over large bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Whisk in sugar and yolks. Return to saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 4 minutes (do not boil). Strain into medium bowl. Chill uncovered until cold. Transfer custard to ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer ice cream to container. Mix in brittle. Cover and freeze until firm. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep frozen.)
For tartlets:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Using electric mixer, beat 2/3 cup sugar and butter in medium bowl until well blended. Beat in yolks. Mix in flour, then nuts. Set peanut cream aside.
Unfold pastry on work surface. Cut each pastry sheet into 4 squares; pierce all over with fork. Place 4 pastry squares on each of 2 baking sheets, spacing apart. Brush egg glaze over pastry. Spread 2 tablespoons peanut cream over each pastry, leaving 1/2-inch plain border. Arrange bananas in overlapping slices atop peanut cream. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until crusts are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer to plates. Serve warm with ice cream.