Recipe: Banana-Walnut-Chocolate Torte

BANANA-WALNUT-CHOCOLATE TORTE

"Walnuts were once a highly prized crop in Napa Valley, so much so that John Hartley entered his 1915 harvest and won first place at the Panama-Pacific Expo. There are still a few orchards around, but the commercial harvest is very small. Napa Nuts carries some walnuts grown in the Valley, but any high-quality walnuts will do in this recipe created by my friend Ann Martin. This dessert is great for winter when bananas are the most abundant fresh fruit. Serve this with a port or a late-harvest Zinfandel."

FOR THE CRUST:
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) walnut halves
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons lightly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter at room temperature
FOR THE FILLING:
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon maple syrup
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 bananas, peeled and sliced

TO MAKE THE CRUST:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Spread the walnuts out on a baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted and fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Remove from the oven and transfer 1 cup of the walnuts to a food processor. Add the flour and brown sugar and pulse until a fine mixture is achieved. Add the butter and pulse for 5 seconds to make a crumbly mixture.

Press evenly into the bottom and sides of an 8-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.

Bake until slightly firm, about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

TO PREPARE THE FILLING:
Combine the cream and maple syrup in a small saucepan. Bring to a low boil over medium heat. Remove from heat, add the chocolate, and stir until smooth.

Line the tart shell with the banana slices. Pour the chocolate mixture over the bananas. Arrange the remaining walnut halves around the edge of the tart.

Refrigerate until chilled, 1 to 2 hours. Serve cold.

Makes 1 (8-inch) torte
Source: Food Lover's Companion to the Napa Valley by Thomas Keller, Lori Lyn Narlock and Michael Carabetta