BANANA CREAM PIE

Last weekend at the cottage we were having guests for dinner and I was in charge of dessert! A bit nerve racking as I feel like dessert skills have taken a backseat since school started but I was eager to try something new, light and fresh. I opted for banana cream pie, as it is a favourite of my dads and in my mind a bit simpler to make compared to a complex cake!

I searched around for a good recipe, and settled for one by Martha Stewart. I can't begin to describe how great this pie really was. Making it the day you eat it just screams freshness, from a ripe banana to whipped cream, this pie could not be more decadent for the summer. Enjoy!!


Banana Cream Pie

Ingredients:
- All-purpose flour, for dusting
- 1 9 inch pie shell (or homemade pie dough)
- 1 large whole egg, lightly beaten, plus 4 large egg yolks
- 6ish medium-ripe bananas
- 3 cups whole milk
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup heavy cream (plus a bit of vanilla for whipping, that's my little addition)
- 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

- Line chilled pie shell with a round of parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Fill with pie weights or dried beans (This is called blind baking, so that your bottom crust doesn't puff up when you pre bake it). Bake until edges of crust just turn golden, 10ish minutes if you are using a pre made shell, probably 20-25 if you are using dough you made yourself. 

- In a bowl, lightly whisk egg yolks; set aside. 

- In a saucepan, whisk together milk, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Bring to a simmer (do not boil), and cook, whisking constantly, 3 to 4 minutes.

- Whisk a quarter of hot-milk mixture into egg yolks; whisk in remaining milk mixture. Strain into a clean saucepan, and cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until custard is thick and bubbles appear in center, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl, and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in fridge. (Filling can be kept in refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, up to 1 day.)

- Cut 5 bananas into rounds. Beginning at the edge of the piecrust, arrange the slices in slightly overlapping rows or circles. Cover with custard, using an offset spatula to smooth it into an even layer.

- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine cream, vanilla and confectioners' sugar; beat until soft peaks form. Using a small offset spatula, spread the whipped cream on top of the custard. Refrigerate pie, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

photo credit: sammy's ipad!