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Banana Cream Pie
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5 from 4 reviews

Banana Cream Pie Recipe

Eileen Gray
This recipe is really quite easy when you put it together. This pie is great the day it's made, but it's even better the next day. The flavors meld and the bananas soften into the filling. It’s the perfect make-ahead dessert.
Prep Time2 hours
Bake Time20 minutes
Total Time2 hours 20 minutes
Servings:10 servings

Ingredients

Candied Macadamia Nuts

  • 4 oz granulated sugar (½ cup)
  • 4 oz water (½ cup)
  • 1 vanilla bean (cut in half)
  • 4 oz salted & roasted macadamia nuts (1 cup)

Graham Cracker Macadamia Nut Crust

  • 8 oz graham cracker crumbs (1 ½ cups)
  • 1 oz macadamia nuts (see note)
  • 2 oz granulated sugar (¼ cup)
  • 3 oz unsalted butter (melted)
  • 4 oz bittersweet chocolate (chopped fine)

Banana Pastry Cream

  • 12 oz whole milk (1 ½ cups)
  • ¼ teaspoon table salt
  • ½ vanilla bean (split)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 yolks
  • 5 oz granulated sugar (½ cup plus 2 tablespoons)
  • 3 tablespoons corn starch
  • 1 ½ oz unsalted butter
  • 1 oz dark rum
  • 4 each ripe bananas

Assembly

  • 16 oz heavy cream (2 cups)
  • 1 oz confectioner's sugar (¼ cup)
  • 2 teaspoons dark rum
  • chocolate curls or chocolate chips

Instructions

Candied Macadamia Nuts

  • Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  • Combine the sugar, water and half the vanilla bean in a small saucepan. Bring the sugar syrup to a boil. Add the nuts all at once and return to a boil. Boil for 1-2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the nuts onto the prepared baking sheet.
  • Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Set the nuts aside to cool completely. Leave the oven on.

Graham Cracker Macadamia Nut Crust

  • Combine graham cracker crumbs, macadamia nuts and sugar in food processor. Process until the nuts are finely ground. Sprinkle melted butter over the crumbs and pulse to combine.
  • Press the crumbs into the bottom and sides of a pie plate. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
  • While the crust is still warm sprinkle the chopped chocolate into the bottom of the pie shell. Allow the chocolate to melt and then spread it across the bottom and sides of the pie shell. Allow the shell to cool completely until the chocolate is set.

Banana Pastry Cream

  • In a medium pan, combine the milk and salt. Scrape the seeds out of the half vanilla bean and add them to the milk along with the pod. Heat over medium high until scalding hot.
  • While the milk heats up, combine the eggs, yolks, sugar and corn starch and whisk until smooth.
  • When the milk is scalding hot pour it into the egg mixture and whisk to combine. Return the custard to the pot and cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until it just begins to boil. Immediately remove from the heat and strain back into the bowl. Add the butter and rum to the hot custard and whisk to combine. Slice the bananas and fold into the pastry cream. Pour the banana cream into the pie. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely cooled and set.

Assembly

  • Whip the cream with the confectioner's sugar and rum and spread the cream onto the filling.
  • Sprinkle the chopped candied macadamia nuts and chocolate shavings over the cream to garnish. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.

Notes

The nuts are optional. Replace the nuts with an extra ounce of graham crackers crumbs.
The pie can be eaten several hours after it's made, but it's even better the second day.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 649kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 155mg | Sodium: 251mg | Potassium: 272mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 1146IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 122mg | Iron: 3mg