Cook the Book: Banana Tart Tatin

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Cut your butter into cubes and put into a sturdy deep-sided roasting pan approximately 7 1/2 x 12 inches.

Place the pan on a low heat, let the butter melt, add the sugar, and stir constantly until completely combined. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is golden and caramelized. Meanwhile, peel the bananas, slice them lengthwise, and lay them on top of the golden caramel.

Remove from the heat, then sprinkle over the cinnamon and finely grate over the zest of half your orange.

To make your pastry topping: Dust a clean work surface and rolling pin with flour. Rather than putting your pastry down flat and rolling it out, place it on its side and roll it from there, this will give you a lighter, crisper texture.

Roll out the sheet of pastry until you have a rectangle shape about the same size as your pan and about 1/8 inch thick. Drape your pastry over your rolling pin and carefully lay it on the roasting pan, gently tucking it around the bananas to make sure they're well covered, with no gaps. Using a knife or fork, prick the pastry a few times.

Place the tray at the top of the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden.

To serve your tart tatin: When your tart tatin is ready you must turn it out at once or it will end up sticking to the pan. To do this, cover you hand with a folded kitchen towel, carefully hold the tray with a serving plate or board on top, and gently turn it over. Using the tip of a knife, pull a corner of the pastry up to check if it's all cooked underneath (if not, pop it back into the oven for another couple of minutes), then ease the whole thing out of the pan.

If using crème fraiche or whipped cream: Put it into a bowl, grate over the rest of your orange zest, and stir well.

Sprinkle a few tablespoons of unsweetened shredded coconut on a plate and quickly roll a scoop of ice cream in it until coated.

Serve your tart tatin and eat immediately!