BANANA CREAM PIE
A hit for any casual get-together or just a treat for yourself. This recipe walks you through each step, from baking the crust to assembling the layers, for a dessert that's as fun to make as it is to eat. Keep it chilled until you're ready to dive in and enjoy the mix of creamy, fruity, and crunchy textures.
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Shortbread Crust:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup icing sugar (confectioner's sugar)
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter (cut into pieces)
For the Pastry Cream:
- 1-1/4 cupswhole milk (I used 1-3/4 cups)
- 1 vanilla bean split lengthwise and seeds scraped (or 1 tsp pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste)
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp cornstarch (corn flour)
- 2-3 large bananas (peeled sliced)
For the Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream (contains 35-40% butterfat)
- 1-2 tbsp icing sugar (confectioner's sugar, to taste)
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
To assemble:
- 1 Crunchie bar or other preferred confectionery or shaved chocolate, or extra banana slices
Instructions
For the Shortbread Crust:
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) and place rack in center of oven.
- Grease or spray with vegetable oil an 8 – 9 inch (20 – 23 cm) tart pan with a removable bottom.
- Place the flour, sugar, and salt in a food process and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the pastry starts to come together and form clumps (if it’s too dry, add a little more butter).
- Tip all of the dough into the centre of the prepared tart pan and begin to press it up around the sides and bottom of the pan using your fingers (you’ll find the dough very pliable). Use your palms or the back of a spoon to smooth off the surface.
- Prick the bottom of the crust with a form several times (which ensures it doesn’t puff up during baking), cover lightly with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to chill (this will prevent the crust from shrinking).
- Place the tart pan on a larger baking sheet (this makes it easier to transport) and bake until the crust is golden brown, about 13 – 15 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once cooled, the crust can be stored in a covered container overnight.
For the Pastry Cream:
- Add milk and vanilla bean and seeds to a medium sized saucepan and over moderate heat, bring to scalding point (just before it boils).
- While you’re waiting for the milk to heat up, add the egg yolks and sugar into a medium sized heatproof bowl and mix together.
- Whisk the flour and cornstarch (corn flour) together and then add to the egg mixture, mixing until you get a smooth paste (this will be quite thick).
- When the milk has heated up, remove it from heat and take out the vanilla bean (this can be washed, dried and placed in your sugar container to make vanilla sugar). Add the milk slowly to egg mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs. (If you get any bits of cooked egg, you can strain the mixture through a sieve).
- Pour the egg mixture into a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until boiling, whisking constantly (I found the mixture to be extremely thick, so I added another half cup of milk at this point to thin out the mixture). When it boils, whisk mixture constantly for another 30-60 seconds to ensure the cornflour gets cooked out.
- Remove the pan from heat and pour into a clean bowl. Immediately cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Cool to room temperature before using (you can put it in the fridge if you’re in a hurry). If not using right away refrigerate until needed, up to 3 days. Give it a brisk whisk before using.
For the Whipped Cream:
- Beat together the cream, icing sugar, and vanilla extract until it yields soft peaks (you want it softly billowing, not stiff).
To Assemble:
- Spread pastry cream evenly over cooled crust. Top with sliced bananas (I lightly spritzed the sliced bananas beforehand with lemon juice to keep them from browning).
- Spread the whipped cream over the bananas. Add the topping of your choice (either more banana slices, some shaved chocolate, or crushed confectionery as I did).
- Store in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to chill.
Nutrition
Calories: 280kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 3gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 42mgPotassium: 56mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 722IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how if you liked it in the comments below!