Happy Pi Day! Did you even know it was Pi Day? In honor of this day, I am bringing you a new recipe: Banana Cream Pie. Yum! It is so creamy and delicious. I can’t wait!
One of my favorite things about this pie is the graham cracker crust. The very first time I was going to make a pie with Jon using a graham cracker crust, Jon wanted to grab a store-bought crust. I think he was surprised at the look I gave him. He didn’t know at the time I had grown up on THE VERY BEST graham cracker crust used in one of my grandmother’s recipes. Once I showed him how to make it, he’s never wanted any other crust. When you smell it, you’ll quickly understand why this is the best crust. There’s just something about graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter; oh that aroma!
Since I’m bragging about this crust, let’s start with that!
Crust Ingredients:
1 and ¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
½ cup sugar
6 tbsp melted butter
In a bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Stir until combined.
Add in the melted butter. Fold until all is combined. You should still have a crumbly consistency.
In a greased 9-inch spring form pan, press the crust mixture evenly around the bottom of the pan and up the sides slightly.
Par-bake the crust in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes.
Allow the crust to cool completely.
For the Banana Cream filling:
Ingredients:
1 and ½ cups heavy cream
¾ cup white chocolate chips
2 ripe bananas, mashed (drizzle with about ¼ tsp lemon juice to keep from turning brown)
2 tbsp Bailey’s Irish Cream (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 egg yolks (save the egg whites for the meringue topping)
Hot water
On medium heat, heat the heavy cream until it barely starts to simmer.
In a mixing bowl, pour the warm heavy cream over the white chocolate chips. Stir until the white chocolate chips have melted into the cream.
In a small mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks. Temper the yolks by slowly adding a spoonful of the cream mixture to the yolks while constantly whisking. Whisk the tempered yolks into the cream mixture.
In another bowl, combine the mashed bananas, Bailey’s Irish Cream, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
Whisk the banana mixture into the cream and yolk mixture. Stir until combined.
Wrap the bottom of the spring form pan with foil. Be sure the foil comes up the sides of the pan. (This step is crucial so water doesn’t seep into your pie. This also might take several sheets of foil laid in many different directions to get the right coverage.) Pour the banana cream mixtures into the spring form pan.
Place the pan into a roasting pan or casserole dish (something that has sides; I used a large oven-safe skillet).
Pour some hot water into the roasting pan or casserole dish about halfway up the spring form pan. Be careful to not get any water into your pie.
Bake the pie on 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 35-40 minutes, or until the center is set.
Allow the pie to cool. Carefully remove the spring form pan from the roasting pan and remove the foil. Allow to cool on a cooling rack until it has reached room temperature. Place the pie into the refrigerator for a about 2 hours.
For the meringue topping:
3 egg whites
½ tsp cream of tartar
2 tbsp sugar
In a stand mixer combine the egg whites, cream of tartar, and sugar.
Beat on high until the egg whites are glossy and form stiff peaks.
Spread the meringue evenly over the top of the banana cream pie.
Broil the pie so the meringue browns. Be sure to keep an eye on the pie. This can burn quickly. It only takes a few minutes.
Allow the pie to cool. Place back into the refrigerator for another hour.
Remove the sides of the spring form pan and cut the pie into eight servings. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Instructions without photos:
Crust Ingredients:
1 and ¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
½ cup sugar
6 tbsp melted butter
In a bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Stir until combined.
Add in the melted butter. Fold until all is combined. You should still have a crumbly consistency.
In a greased 9-inch spring form , press the crust mixture evenly around the bottom of the pan and up the sides slightly.
Par-bake the crust in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes.
Allow the crust to cool completely.
For the Banana Cream filling:
Ingredients:
1 and ½ cups heavy cream
¾ cup white chocolate chips
2 ripe bananas, mashed (drizzle with about ¼ tsp lemon juice to keep from turning brown)
2 tbsp Bailey’s Irish Cream (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 egg yolks (save the egg whites for the meringue topping)
Hot water
On medium heat, heat the heavy cream until it barely starts to simmer.
In a mixing bowl, pour the warm heavy cream over the white chocolate chips. Stir until the white chocolate chips have melted into the cream.
In a small mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks. Temper the yolks by slowly adding a spoonful of the cream mixture to the yolks while constantly whisking. Whisk the tempered yolks into the cream mixture.
In another bowl, combine the mashed bananas, Bailey’s Irish Cream, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine. Whisk the banana mixture into the cream and yolk mixture. Stir until combined.
Wrap the bottom of the spring form pan with foil. Be sure the foil comes up the sides of the pan. (This step is crucial so water doesn’t seep into your pie. This also might take several sheets of foil laid in many different directions to get the right coverage.)
Pour the banana cream mixtures into the spring form pan. Place the pan into a roasting pan or casserole dish (something that has sides).
Pour some hot water into the roasting pan or casserole dish about halfway up the spring form pan. Be careful to not get any water into your pie.
Bake the pie on 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 35-40 minutes, or until the center is set.
Allow the pie to cool. Carefully remove the spring form pan from the roasting pan and remove the foil. Allow to cool on a cooling rack until it has reached room temperature. Place the pie into the refrigerator for a about 2 hours.
For the meringue topping:
3 egg whites
½ tsp cream of tartar
2 tbsp sugar
In a stand mixer combine the egg whites, cream of tartar, and sugar. Beat on high until the egg whites are glossy and form stiff peaks.
Spread the meringue evenly over the top of the banana cream pie. Broil the pie so the meringue browns. Be sure to keep an eye on the pie. This can burn quickly. It only takes a few minutes
Allow the pie to cool. Place back into the refrigerator for another hour.
Cut the pie into eight servings. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
