1. Prepare the Pastry Cream

• Heat the Milk: In a heavy saucepan, combine milk with the seeds scraped from half a vanilla bean and salt. Heat over medium-high until it’s just below boiling.
• Mix Cornstarch and Sugar with Eggs: In a separate bowl, whisk together cornstarch and sugar, then add eggs and whisk until smooth.
• Temper the Eggs: Slowly add one-third of the hot milk to the egg mixture while whisking constantly. Then, pour the egg-milk mixture back into the saucepan.
• Thicken: Cook over medium heat, whisking continuously until thickened to the consistency of lightly whipped cream. Avoid overcooking.
• Strain and Cool: Remove from heat and strain through a sieve. Stir in butter piece by piece until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap on the surface and chill.

2. Make the Caramel

• Warm the Cream: Heat the cream and vanilla seeds in a small saucepan until just below boiling. Keep warm.
• Cook Sugar Syrup: In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, water, salt, and corn syrup. Bring to a boil and cook until amber, 5-8 minutes.
• Add Cream Carefully: Remove from heat and slowly add warm cream; it will bubble vigorously. Whisk until smooth, then add lemon juice and butter, whisking until combined. Let cool.

3. Prepare the Tart Dough

• Mix Dry Ingredients: In a food processor, pulse flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter cubes and pulse until pea-sized.
• Add Egg and Chill: Add egg and pulse until dough just begins to come together. Shape into a disk, wrap, and chill for 2 hours.
• Roll and Bake: Roll out dough and press into mini tart pans. Chill for 30 minutes, line with foil and weights, and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Remove weights halfway through.

4. Assemble the Mini Pies

• Chocolate Layer: Melt chopped chocolate and spread a thin layer over each cooled mini tart shell. Chill for 5 minutes to set.
• Add Caramel: Drizzle a small amount of caramel over the chocolate layer in each tart shell.
• Add Pastry Cream and Bananas: Spoon chilled pastry cream into each tart shell, then arrange banana slices over the pastry cream.
• Whip Cream and Garnish: Whip heavy cream with sugar until medium peaks form. Spread over the bananas and top with chocolate curls if desired.

5. Chill and Serve

• Chill the mini pies for at least 2 hours to set. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before serving to soften slightly.