As a small batch baker, I have to admit this is one pie that I dreaded making! Oh, my customers love its billowy soft filling, loaded with bananas and topped with sweet whipped cream. I can even sneak a spoonful of the filling and say, “Yeah, this is really good!”
Apart from my sensitivity to bananas this pie needs quick, precise action in order to finish up well. It’s those dang bananas! First of all, you need to get bananas that are just-this-side of green. If your bananas have speckles on the skin they make for good eating but they are more likely to start turning brown in a couple of days’ time. So, unless you’re planning this banana cream pie for a party, opt for buying the newly ripe bananas from your store.
When you put this pie together in the final steps you will need to bathe the bananas in a mild lemon water solution, which will help retard oxidation/browning in the finished pie. And you don’t want to stir wet bananas into your cream pie base, so have plenty of paper towels on had to dab the bananas dry after they’ve had their lemon spa dunk.
If you still want to make this awesome Banana Cream pie, you can anticipate forever basking in the glow of the banana lovers in your midst. This pie can become a great negotiating tool. What power! Make them beg. (Just kidding?)
Banana Cream Pie
Ingredients
Day 1
Day 2
Instructions
Day 1
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In a medium saucepan (do not use an aluminum pan for this!) whisk together the sugar and cornstarch until well combined.
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Heat the Half & Half and milk until almost steaming. (You are heating the milk to save cooking time, so get it hot but not so hot that a skin forms.)
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Add the egg yolks to the sugar and cornstarch and whisk briskly until thoroughly combined.
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Slowly pour in the Half & Half, continuing to whisk briskly. Once combined, slowly add the heated milk.
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Place pot over medium low heat. Continue stirring until mixture thickens, about 5 - 10 minutes. The filling will become thick as pudding; cook until the filling bubbles slowly.
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Remove filling from heat and stir in vanilla and butter. Pour into a medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
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Blind bake a 9" pie crust (make sure it is deep). For this pie you will want the crust to be thoroughly cooked; the bottom should be lightly browned. Put aside for Day 2
Day 2
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Prepare whipped cream according to instructions
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Prepare a medium bowl with the cold water and lemon juice.
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Working quickly, slice bananas into the cold water.
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Soak the bananas for 1 minute, no more. Pour the bananas into a sieve to drain the water.
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Pour the bananas onto a bed of several paper towels. Blot as much moisture as you can from the bananas and add immediately to the cold filling. Fold bananas into the filling.
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Add one cup of the whipped cream to the filling and carefully fold together so that all ingredients are completely combined. Spoon into prepared pie crust.
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Evenly smooth one cup of whipped cream across the top of the filling. Place the rest of the whipped cream (should be about 2 cups) into a piping bag. Pipe the whipped cream in circles around the pie to completely cover the top.
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Refrigerate pie for about one hour so that the filling can set. Serve cold.
