Mike’s number one favorite pie is Banana Cream Pie… at a restaurant in town (Rye for locals). Of course, I find it so annoying (insulting?!) that his favorite pie is from a restaurant. I’ve tried to duplicate it, but even I can admit – it is really good, and has a certain something that I hadn’t quite mastered. Until now, I’m happy to report.
Oddly enough, the secret is more of a shortcut. I had been trying to make a homemade shortbread crust in the past, but this time I used Chessman Cookies to make the crust (ala Paula Dean) and it made all of the difference. The other component is the flour in the custard (which makes it thick and slice-able) and the absence of sweetness. This custard is just creamy, creamy and thick and smooth.
I made them in my petite tart pans to make them individual size. It would be really great for a party or you could be like us and get one out to split every night last week.
Banana Cream Pies
6 small tarts or 1 large pie
1 package of chessman Cookies, crushed
4 tablespoons of butter, melted
….
1 cup of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
4 tablespoons of cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons of flour
4 1/2 cups of milk
4 egg yolks
1 tablespoon of butter
2 teaspoons of vanilla
4 bananas, sliced
….
1 cup of whipping cream
1/4 cup of sugar
Place the tartans on a parchment lined baking sheet.
For crust, mix together crushed cookies and melted butter.
Press into the bottom of the tart pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.
For filling : In a saucepan, stir together sugar, salt, cornstarch and flour. Gradually whisk in milk and egg yolks. Turn heat on medium, and continue to whisk until thicken and bubbly. Cook until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat. Whisk in butter and vanilla. Spread about 1/3 of the custard mixture in the bottom of each crust. Top with sliced bananas. Fill the rest of the tart pan with custard. Let cool completely before topping with whipped cream.
To make whipped cream, whip cold cream and sugar on high with whisk attachment until thick. Fit large piping bags with a jumbo star tip and fill the bag with whipped cream. Spread a layer of whipped cream, then pipe the edges in a pretty shell or star pattern. Resist garnishing with fresh banana – it will turn brown : ) Keep refrigerated until serving – can be made a day in advance.
Essentials Used :
New! Flat Whisk This is a favorite staple in my kitchen – always the whisk I reach for. It is perfect for smoothing out a sauce, or making a roux on the stove. I love how the flat whisk gets all of the way to the bottom of the pan.