Banana Rum Tatin

• granulated sugar150g
• vanilla bean↗1
• butter↗150g

  cut into cubes

• dark rum↗4 ст. л. tbsp
• coarse puff pastry↗700g

  or rolled leftovers, or you can use ready-made puff pastry

• large, firm, only ripe bananas4
• egg yolk↗1
• sifted powdered sugarтрохи

  and crème fraîche for serving, if desired

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Place 150 g of granulated sugar and 2 tbsp of water in a heavy, thick‑bottomed skillet and let sit for 10 minutes to dissolve the sugar.

2. 2

   Split the vanilla bean with a knife, cut it lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds to the skillet. Heat over low, stirring constantly, until the sugar melts, then increase the heat and cook until the caramel turns dark‑golden.

3. 3

   Remove the skillet from the heat, let the caramel cool for 30 seconds, then add about a third of the butter (50 g) and stir. Add the dark rum and the remaining butter, mixing until a smooth caramel sauce forms. Transfer the sauce to a heat‑proof jug and set aside without letting it set.

4. 4

   On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry into a rectangle about 50 × 30 cm, about 3 mm thick.

5. 5

   Slice each banana lengthwise to obtain even halves. Place the halves, cut side up, on the pastry and cut around the fruit, leaving about 1 cm of border on all sides.

6. 6

   Mix the yolk with 1 tsp of water, brush the bananas with this mixture, then cover them with the cut pastry pieces, pressing the edges. Place the prepared portions in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

7. 7

   Spread the caramel evenly over the bottom of two heat‑proof skillets or a shallow baking dish, like a pancake. If the sauce is too thick, warm it slightly.

8. 8

   Preheat the oven to 200 °C (convection 180 °C, gas 6). Arrange the pastry with bananas in the skillets or dish, leaving a small gap between portions. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the puff pastry is light‑golden and crisp.

9. 9

   Remove the skillet from the oven and let stand for a minute. Carefully slide a long offset spatula under each banana, lift and invert onto a prepared plate so the banana is on top.

10. 10

    Pour the caramelized juices from the skillet over, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with a spoon of crème fraîche, if using.