Recipe #6: "Family Style" Pumpkin Banana Mousse Tart

With this recipe, I got the chance to get THE cutest tart pan!  Love love love!

I like this homemade crust better than the Frozen Key Lime pie and the Raspberry Cheesecake ones.  This is the same recipe with the addition of a little cinnamon…..yum! 

I had the chance to catch Ina making a homemade crust on tv, and she showed a little trick in forming a perfect crust at the seam where the pan moves from horizontal to vertical.  She used the bottom edge of a measuring cup to press the crust into the corner!  It made the crust super even all over.  I am SO glad I saw this trick, and hope you can use it too!

This was my first attempt at putting together and using a double broiler and it turned out to be easy (thank goodness as I did not need a third strike on my confidence)!  I definitely recommend a) mashing the banana a ton, or even pulsing it in the food processor and b) babysitting the mixture in the double broiler.  I was not about to have another boiling-over fiasco like the rice pudding.  While it took my mousse mixture a bit longer for it to heat and thicken up, I was glad that I put the time into watching it.

I thought it turned out great, and so did my mom, husband, and a few peeps from work!   Mom raved about it (kind of part of a mom’s job J).  Even my step-dad, who doesn’t like banana anything thought it was good!  I got a few comments saying that you could taste a good mix of the two flavors, and that it wasn’t too heavy in one way or another.  But here is the thing: I think you need to like banana-flavored desserts to like this recipe.  I personally only like bananas to taste that way, so it wasn’t my personal favorite. 

I am happy to report that my confidence is back!  My next recipe goes into the “Kids” section of the book….thumbprint cookies!