Bananen-Eierlikör-Torte (banana and egg liqueur charlotte)

Method

1. Line a 22 cm springform ring with baking paper on the base. Stand the ladyfingers upright around the inside edge, sugared side out, packed close together.
2. Toss the sliced bananas with the lemon juice and arrange them in an even layer over the base.
3. Soak the gelatine sheets in cold water for 5 minutes, until floppy.
4. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl. Heat the milk in a pan until steaming but not boiling, then pour it slowly over the yolks while whisking constantly.
5. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it coats the back of the spoon and a line drawn through it holds for a moment, about 6 to 8 minutes. Do not let it boil, or it curdles.
6. Take off the heat immediately. Squeeze the gelatine dry and stir it into the hot custard until fully dissolved. Stir in the egg liqueur, then let the mixture cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally so a skin does not form.
7. Fold the whipped cream into the cooled custard in two additions, gently, keeping as much air in as possible.
8. Pour the Bavarian cream over the bananas inside the ring, right up to the top of the ladyfingers. Smooth the top.
9. Chill at least 8 hours, ideally overnight, until fully set. Release the ring, scatter the chocolate shavings over the top, and trim the ladyfingers level with a serrated knife if they stand proud of the filling.

Method in the Thermomix

Written for a TM5 or TM6, 2.2 litre bowl. This covers only the custard base; assembly is the same as the hand method.

1. Insert the butterfly. Add the milk, egg yolks and sugar. Cook 8 min / 80 °C / speed 3, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon when tested. Do not exceed 85°C, or it curdles.
2. Remove the butterfly. Squeeze the soaked gelatine dry and add it to the hot custard. Mix 10 sec / speed 3, until dissolved. Add the egg liqueur and mix 5 sec / speed 3.
3. Pour into a bowl and let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, then fold in the whipped cream by hand as in the hand method. The machine has no role in whipping the cream or the final assembly.

Notes

• The custard must not boil. Once it passes about 84°C the egg yolks curdle into scrambled flecks rather than staying smooth, and there is no rescuing it at that point; better to pull it slightly early than slightly late.
• Cool the custard before folding in the cream. Warm custard deflates whipped cream on contact, and the finished torte ends up dense rather than light.
• A genuine overnight chill matters more than the ladyfingers or the liqueur. A Bavarian cream that has not had enough time in the fridge will not hold a clean slice; it needs the full 8 hours minimum to set through completely.
• For a version without alcohol, replace the egg liqueur with the same quantity of custard-style dairy dessert (such as a shop-bought vanilla custard) plus a few drops of rum flavouring if a hint of the original character is wanted.

Ingredient substitutions

• Egg liqueur is a specifically German product; outside Germany, Dutch advocaat is the closest match and works in the same quantity.
• Ladyfingers can be swapped for a thin sponge disc lining the base only, with the cream poured directly into a lined springform instead of a standing ring, if a charlotte shape is not wanted.
• Bananas darken quickly once cut; slice them as close to assembly time as practical, even with the lemon juice added.
• A layer of banana liqueur or dark rum, brushed lightly over the ladyfingers before the cream goes in, is a traditional variation for an adults-only version.