I promised to post the recipe for this Banana Cream Pie which was part of my 2017 Thanksgiving dessert buffet.
And since I’m becoming more proficient at typing with one hand now it seems a good time to share it with you.
Good cream pies are a favorite of mine, particularly banana and coconut.
This Banana Cream Pie is so delicious I won’t be waiting for next Thanksgiving to make it again, but I do believe it will now be added to the apple and pumpkin must-haves every Thanksgiving.
The recipe I used for the crust is from my Spiced Apple Pie also served last Thanksgiving.
Remember the amounts are for 2 double crust pies. You can always cut it in half if you want to make 2 less crusts.
The full recipe makes 2 double crusts, which allowed me to make the pastry crust for the double crust apple pie, the single crust for the pumpkin, and the single crust for the banana cream pie all at the same time.
Very efficient, especially when there is so much to do in the weeks before the holiday.
You can store the four discs of dough wrapped well in the freezer for weeks, and remove them whenever you’re ready to make your pies.
Simply adjust the baking times and method to the specific pie recipe you are making.
Did I mention it is also the most delectable pastry crust… flavorful, golden and flaky?
Sheila’s Banana Cream Pie (adapted from Dine and Dish Blog)
For the Pastry Dough (Spiced Apple Pie, Bon Appetit, Feb 1998)
Makes two 10-inch pies
(Refer to the link above for Spiced Apple Pie for step by step photos for making this pie dough)
5 and ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
1 and ½ teaspoons salt
1 and ¼ cups (2 and ½ sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces
1 large egg
7 tablespoons (or more) ice water
Combine 5 and ½ cups flour, ¼ cup sugar and 1and ½ teaspoons salt in large bowl. Add butter and vegetable shortening and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Whisk egg and 7 tablespoons water in small bowl to blend. Add to flour mixture, tossing until moist clumps form and adding more water by tablespoonfuls if dough is dry.
Gather dough into ball. Divide into quarters.
Flatten each quarter into a disk.
Wrap disks separately in plastic; chill 1 hour.
(Dough may be refrigerated for a day or two or frozen for weeks.)
Let dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.
For the Pre-Baked Pie Crust
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Roll the disc of dough into a round 2-inches wider than the pie plate you are using.
Transfer the pastry to the pie plate, trim the excess and and crimp. Chill in fridge 20 minutes.
Line the chilled crust with parchment paper (or foil), and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven. Gently remove the parchment with the pie weights or beans.
Return the crust to the oven for 10 to 20 minutes more until golden brown all over.
If edges begin to brown too much cover with pie shield or aluminum foil strips.
Remove the crust and cool completely before filling.
For the Banana Cream Filling
2/3 cup sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
3 cups whole milk
4 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 and ½ tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 large bananas, sliced
Mix the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a saucepan.
Gradually stir in the milk.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils.
Boil and stir 1 minute
Stir at least half of the hot mixture in the egg yolks. Stir into hot mixture in saucepan. Boil and stir 1 minute and remove from the heat.
Stir in butter and vanilla.
Whipped Cream Topping
1 cup heavy cream
1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar or confectioner’s sugar (depending on your taste)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Place the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for about 20 minutes to chill. (if using a hand mixer place the bowl and beaters in freezer)
Whip the very cold cream in the chilled bowl of the mixer and whip until it begins to thicken.
Then add the sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until firm, but still somewhat soft.
Do Not Overbeat!
note: Heavy cream and whipping cream are not the same thing. Use heavy cream, if possible. This produces a stiffer cream due to the higher fat content.
Err on the side of whipping too little rather than too much.
Assembly
Place the sliced bananas in a single layer in the cooled pre-baked pie shell.
Pour the pudding mixture over the bananas in the pre-baked pie shell.
Cover loosely with a sheet of parchment (to avoid sticking), and refrigerate until ready to add the whipped cream topping.
When ready to serve, or if making it in advance, spoon the whipped cream on top of the banana filling, and gently spread the cream with a spatula to cover the pie.
Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.
Garnish with a few banana slices in the center and serve to your lucky guests!
