Banana-Infused Banana Cream Pie
Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen and NYT Cooking.
A crisp all-butter pastry case filled with layers of silky custard steeped with browned banana, fresh banana slices and softly whipped cream.
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Method
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Equipment
- 23 cm pie dish (about 4 cm deep)
- rolling pin
- baking paper and baking beans
- mixing bowls
- medium saucepan
- fine sieve
- whisk
- electric hand mixer
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 615 kcal |
| Protein | 8.2 g |
| Carbohydrate | 55.2 g |
| of which sugars | 29.8 g |
| of which free sugars | 19.4 g |
| Fat | 41.1 g |
| of which saturates | 25 g |
| Fibre | 1.9 g |
| Salt | 0.66 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
1.3 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
Metric · 8 servings
Pastry
- 180 g plain flour
- 12 g caster sugar about 1 tbsp
- 3 g fine sea salt or table salt about ½ tsp
- 120 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 4 tbsp ice-cold water plus 1 tbsp more if needed
Banana custard
- 45 g unsalted butter, cut in small pieces 15 g to fry the bananas, 30 g beaten into the finished custard
- 2 ripe bananas for infusing, sliced about 240 g peeled; strained out later
- 420 ml whole milk
- 180 ml double cream
- 125 g caster sugar
- 6 large egg yolks
- 25 g cornflour
- 1.5 g fine sea salt or table salt about ¼ tsp
- 1½ tsp vanilla
Layering
- 3 ripe but firm bananas, sliced 6 mm thick about 330 g peeled
- 2 tbsp orange juice
Topping
- 240 ml cold double cream
- 15 g icing sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 1
Make the pastry. Stir the flour, sugar and salt together, then rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the biggest pieces are the size of peas. Sprinkle over the iced water and toss with a fork until a pinch of dough holds together. Pat into a disc, wrap and chill for 1 hour so the gluten relaxes and the butter firms up.
- 2
Line and blind bake. Roll the dough to a 30 cm round on a floured surface, ease it into the dish and crimp the rim, then chill 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 190 °C (170 °C fan). Fill the chilled case with paper and beans and bake 20 minutes, then lift them out and bake 10-12 minutes more until the base is golden all over; a fully cooked base stays crisp under the wet filling. Cool on a rack.
- 3
Infuse the dairy. Melt the 15 g butter in the saucepan and fry the infusing bananas over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until soft and lightly browned at the edges. Add the milk and cream, bring just to a simmer, then cover, take off the heat and leave 30 minutes. Strain into a jug without pressing the fruit, which would make the custard cloudy and loose.
- 4
Cook the custard. In a bowl, whisk the yolks, sugar, cornflour and salt until smooth, then whisk in the banana milk a little at a time. Pour back into the rinsed pan and whisk over a medium heat until thick and a few large bubbles break the surface, then whisk 1 minute longer so the cornflour fully thickens (82-85 °C). Take off the heat and beat in the 30 g butter and the vanilla.
- 5
Layer and chill. Turn the sliced bananas in the orange juice, which slows browning, and keep 8 slices back for the top. Spread half the warm custard over the cooled base, cover with the banana slices, then spread the rest of the custard over them. Press cling film onto the surface to stop a skin forming and chill at least 5 hours, until set.
- 6
Top and serve. Whip the cold cream with the icing sugar and vanilla to soft peaks, spread it over the pie and dot with the saved banana slices. Cut with a hot, wiped knife.
Storage
Keep covered in the fridge and eat within 24 hours; the banana slices darken and the crust softens after that. Not suitable for freezing.
