We’ve been doing enormously well on our path to better health so when we had friends over for dinner recently I asked JT what dessert he wanted and he said banana cream pie! Banana cream pie is definitely NOT diet food, but you need a treat every once in a while.
There are many recipes out there and JT was specific that he didn’t want chunks of banana so I had to improvise by adding puréed bananas and increasing the thickening agent to make up for the added liquid ratio. I used Martha’s recipe as a starting point. This pie is not overly sweet and it packs a lot of banana flavour. It’s best to make this dessert the day before to allow it to set.
Banana Cream Pie
Makes one rectangular pie about 12 cm x 36 cm (14 inch x 4.5 inch)
Ingredients for the crust:
- 3/4 cup cookie crumbs (I save mine from broken cookies in a freezer bag)
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup oats (not instant)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3 tbsp Skor® bits
Directions for the crust:
- Pre-heat the oven to 350° F.
- Combine everything but the butter and Skor bits in the small bowl of a food processor. Slowly drizzle in the butter. Fold in the Skor bits.
- Press into a 12 cm x 36 cm (14 inch x 4.5 inch) rectangular tart pan (preferably one that has a removable bottom to make it easier to release).
- Bake for 15 minutes. Cool completely before filling.
Filling Ingredients:
- 3 ripe bananas (about 1 cup puréed)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 1/2 cups half & half
- 1 tsp vanilla
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
- Whipping cream
Filling Directions:
- In a heavy-bottom saucepan or double boiler, combine cornstarch, sugar, egg yolks, half & half, and salt and mix well. Set over simmering water or medium to low heat and whisk until thoroughly thickened.
- Cool over an ice bath and when cooled, whisk in the vanilla and puréed bananas. Set plastic film over the top of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until set.
- Whip the butter until light and slowly add the cooled filling to incorporate butter evenly.
- Combine bananas and lemon juice and purée until smooth. Whip into the prepared pudding.
- Spoon into the prepared pastry crust and set another plastic film over the top. Refrigerate.
- Serve slices of the pie garnished with stabilized whipped cream and sprinkled with Skor® bits.
Notes:
- Cookie crumbs are usually trimmings I save from bars, broken cookies and such. I save them in a zip-lock baggy in the freezer and blitz them in the food processor for pie crusts. I got the idea from Momofuko’s Momofuko’s Crack Pie Recipe, plus it gives us a good reason not to eat the trimmings! (Method in my madness!)
- The Skor® bits add a lovely crunch and flavour to the crust, omit without repercussions if you wish.
- The bananas do oxidized a bit, so I modified the instructions to include the puréed bananas just prior to adding to the crust.
I love banana cream pie. I always request it as my birthday “cake.” I really like your presentation! And the Skor bits kill!
LikeLike
You do need to reward yourself every once in a while and your dessert sounds like a special treat.
LikeLike
Bill loves banana cream pie—and I’m always wishy washy about it, until I take that first forkful. It’s nice to splurge when you have company 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
This banana cream pie sounds so delicious! It looks so easy to prepare and I believe I would enjoy in this banana flavoured pie!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Agnes, my husband said he really enjoyed it too, it sure didn’t last very long!
LikeLike
At first I thought your husband would choose a dessert he hates! (This is what I make for my husband when I don’t want to be tempted; luckily he likes completely different much sweeter desserts, so it’s not difficult). Your slimming process and your success really motivate me (I hope enough to start controlling calories again…the only thing that works for me). Keep going!
This banana pie looks and sounds wonderful. I think the only dessert I make with bananas is banana “cream” (with gelatin or agar). I must expand the list of recipes!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Sissi, oh no, my husband adores dessert and he even prefers to enjoy the less sweet ones, but he rarely says no. He really loved this cream pie, it really allowed the banana flavour to shine.
Thank you for your kind words re my route to health, I’m hoping that by the summer I won’t be avoiding mirrors as much as I have been!
LikeLike
What a neat recipe! I don’t think I’ve seen a Banana Cream Pie made exactly this way, but it looks brilliant. Of course, I’ve only made a Banana Cream Pie once or twice myself — Mrs KR is the baker in our household — so what do I know? 🙂 Really nice — thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you John, it is rather unconventional but it does shine with rich banana flavour do it gets JTs vote for sure.
LikeLike
Well done and it’s quite true, you do need something every now and then or things start to look a bit sparse! What a perfect dish to celebrate with 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you kindly Lorraine, it was very well received.
LikeLike
Banana DREAM Pie, I’ve never seen such a sophisticated version. GREG
LikeLike
Wow, thank you so much Greg, for such flattering words! It was very well received.
LikeLike
Sometimes it’s not just all only about healthy food. As you said it, a treat once in a while helps the motivation. =D
I could swear that I thought of something like this when I got up in the morning. I want banana cream pie now!
LikeLike
So true, Helene, it’s all about moderation. I would send over a slice or two if we were neighbours!
LikeLike
Looks and sounds delicious, Eva.
LikeLike
Thank you Liz.
LikeLike
I’ve never made banana cream pie (it reminds me of Giligans Island) but it looks delicious and I hope you enjoyed the little treat!
LikeLike
Thanks so much Tania, it was quite tasty indeed.
LikeLike
Wonderful recipe!
LikeLike
Thank you Lina, welcome to my blog. I was just over at your lovely blog and will be able to take a longer look in the next few days.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Eva! 😊😊
LikeLike
It looks very tempting with that nutty crust and creamy banana filling.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Angie, the pie was very tasty indeed.
LikeLike
Well done, great improv on this because Banana Cream Pie is as you said def NOT on the list! As soon as I read that, all I could think of was banana protein smoothie haha!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Dana, a banana smoothie sounds perfect right about now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Congratulations on doing so well on your health kick! This pie looks like an amazing reward. I love that the ingredients are so wholesome (apart from the Skor bits…), so even though it’s not diet friendly, at least it’s a home made, not artificial treat. Did it meet JT’s expectations?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you kindly Michela, I really just needed to get back on track. The banana cream pie was exactly what JT was hoping for.
LikeLike