Banana Cream Pie
In this version of Banana Cream Pie, a chocolate wafer crust adds a delightful chocolate element to an American classic. A vanilla bean custard, fresh banana slices, and lightly sweetened whipped cream complete this luscious dessert.
The old standby cookie for chocolate crumbs, Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers, is no longer produced. But fear not, I have found an excellent substitute. Dewey’s Bakery Brownie Crisp, from a North Carolina cookie bakery, offers just the right amount of crispness and bittersweet chocolate taste to make an excellent crumb crust.
Like all cream pies, making Banana Cream Pie is simply a matter of cooking a filling of eggs, egg yolks, flavorings, a liquid (milk in this case), and cornstarch on the stovetop until it thickens. A little butter is then added for additional body and a smoother mouthfeel before pouring the filling into the cooked pie shell.
This pie is an American classic for a reason. It makes a wonderful dessert for informal dinner or lunch gatherings.
Banana Cream Pie
| Yield: 1 9-inch pie | # of Servings: 10 | Method: Cream Pie | Difficulty: Moderate |
Ingredients
Crust:
1 â…“ cup (5.45 oz / 154 g) chocolate wafer crumbs (see source below)
¼ cup (1.8 oz / 51 g) sugar
5 tbl (2.5 oz / 71 g) unsalted butter, melted
Or, store bought chocolate cookie pie crust, baked
Filling:
2 ¼ cup (18 fl oz) milk
½ cup (3.5 oz / 99 g) sugar
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
¼ cup (1.75 oz / 50 g) sugar
¼ cup (1.2 oz / 34 g) cornstarch
¾ cup (6 fl oz) milk
2 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
¼ tsp kosher salt
2 tbl (1 oz / 28 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
Finishing:
3 to 4 firm bananas
1 ½ cup (12 fl oz) heavy cream
3 tbl confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Special tools and equipment needed:
- One 9-inch pie plate
- Heavy bottomed 3-qt saucepan
Pre-recipe preparations:
- Lightly butter the pie plate.
Directions: Crust
- Mix together the wafer crumbs and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add melted butter and stir.
- Press evenly into the pie plate. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 °F.
- Bake crust for 15 to 18 minutes until set and firm.
- Place on cooling rack and let totally cool.
Filling:
- In heavy-bottomed medium saucepan, whisk together the milk and the sugar. Stir in the vanilla bean pod and the seeds. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat and let the vanilla bean steep in the milk.
- In medium mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and the cornstarch. Add the milk, eggs, egg yolks, and salt and whisk until smooth.
- Remove the vanilla bean and bring the milk back to the simmer over medium heat.
- Warm (temper) the egg yolk mixture by slowly whisking in approximately â…“ of the hot milk.
- With the milk on a medium flame, pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back in the saucepan and whisk continually until the mixture thickens and comes to the boil. Do not cook past this point, as the mixture will separate.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in the butter.
- Slice the bananas crosswise. There should be about 2 cups of banana slices.
- Place â…“ of the filling in the bottom of the crust. Sprinkle ½ of the banana slices over the filling.
- Cover the banana slices with another â…“ of the filling.
- Pour the filling into the cooked pie shell, using a heat-proof spatula to scrape filling from the pan.
- Smooth with an offset spatula.
- Press a piece of plastic film against the surface to prevent formation of a skin. Using paring knife, poke several slits in the plastic film.
- Place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
Finishing:
- In a chilled bowl, whip the cream and sugar until just firm peaks. Don’t overwhip as the cream will continue to stiffen as it is piped or spread.
- Pipe large whipped cream rosettes, or the pattern of your choice, or spread the whipped cream over the pie.
- Store any leftover pie in the refrigerator, for up to two days.
