Baklava banana tarts

Ingredients

•  100g walnuts
•  1tsp ground cinnamon
•  40g demerara sugar
•  2 ripe bananas
•  freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon
•  12-hole muffin tin, greased
•  8cm round cutter

To assemble

•  250g filo pastry
•  125 butter, melted
•  3tbsp honey
•  3tbsp maple syrup

Method

 Serves

Begin by preparing the fillings. Place the walnuts, cinnamon and demerara sugar in a food processor or blender and blitz to fine crumbs. In a separate bowl, crush the bananas with the lemon juice using the back of a fork to make a banana purée.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. You will need to cut out 24 squares of pastry, 11 x 11cm, and approximately 72 circles, 8 cm diameter. The filo pastry dries out quickly, so it is best to cover it with a clean damp kitchen towel while you are assembling the tarts, and only cut the pastry as and when you need it.

Brush the squares of pastry with melted butter and place two into one of the holes of the muffin tin at slight angles to each other. Sprinkle a small spoonful of the nut mixture into the base of each pastry case. Cover the nuts with two circles of pastry, both brushed with butter. Place a spoonful of banana purée on top of the pastry, and then cover with two further buttered circles of pastry.

Sprinkle with more nuts and finish the tart with two further layers of pastry. Continue to make more layers, until the muffin hole is full and finished with a filo layer on top. How many sheets you need will depend on how deep your muffin tin is. Repeat to make the remaining tarts.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. Heat the honey and maple syrup in a saucepan and pour a little over the top of each tart. The tarts can be eaten warm or cold, and are best enjoyed on the day they are made.