Banana Cream Pie Topped with Caramel
Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 50 mins | Course: Dessert | Servings: 8
Banana cream pie with a luscious custard and topped with a layer of caramel. Vanilla Custard inspired and barely adapted from James McNair in his Custards, Mousses & Puddings book. Salted Caramel Sauce is adapted from Martha Stewart.
Perfect Pastry: (makes two pastry shells)
2 ½ cups flour
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks butter) cut into tablespoons
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
8 Tbsp cold water
In a food processor with the metal blade, add the flour, salt and baking powder. Pulse once to mix. Top with the tablespoon size slices of butter and pulse until the mixture is roughly mixed together like a coarse cornmeal mix and the butter bits are no bigger than the size of a pea. You’ll want to do most of the mixing before adding liquid to keep the dough tender. Add in the vinegar and water and quickly pulse about 16 (or fewer) times to incorporate, the dough will begin to come together. Spread two sheets of plastic wrap on the counter and divide the dough between them. Wrap, flatten the discs (pressing in little areas that may need to still come together) and chill them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, longer is fine (up to several days). The dough can be made by hand in a large mixing bowl with a pastry blender, a large fork or even your hands; remember to do most of the mixing work before adding liquid to keep the pastry from being tough. I find dough made by hand needs 1 additional tablespoon of water. You may need to add 1 additional tablespoon of water if the weather is very dry as well.
Preheat oven to 425*. Using a sheet of waxed paper or parchment, dust your rolling surface with a sprinkling of flour. Place chilled pastry on top, dust the top lightly with flour and roll out an inch or so larger than your pie plate (if pastry is really cold it may need to warm up a bit before it rolls easily; if it cracks give it a few minutes before continuing to roll). When the pastry is rolled out, use your rolling pin to help fold the dough over the pie plate. Press in and crimp dough edges decoratively, prick the shell multiple times with a fork and chill another 15-30 minutes. Have fun with decorating and crimping. There are many ways to crimp, decorate or emboss the outside edges of your pie crust from a corkscrew to cake embossing tools, etc. Bake the pie shell for 15-20 minutes. Pastry will be a beautiful browned color when done. Let cool while making the custard.
Vanilla Custard:
3 cups milk
1 cup cream
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
⅛ tsp salt
2 eggs
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp vanilla
2-3 bananas, sliced (reserve a few for garnish)
Layer sliced bananas on top of the cooled pastry. Cook the milk and cream over low heat in a saucepan. Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk eggs in the mixing bowl and a ladleful of hot milk to form a paste. Whisk this mixture together well so your eggs will not curdle. Continue whisking in ladlefuls until the milk mixture is about half used. Pour the egg & hot milk mixture back into the pot and cook stirring with a wooden spoon until thickened. Turn off heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Let cool about 5 minutes before ladling into the pastry shell over the bananas. Let cool to room temperature.
Caramel Sauce:
2 ½ cups sugar
⅔ cup water
1 Tbsp maple syrup
¾ cup heavy cream
1 tsp sea salt or Fleur de Sel
Heat sugar, water, and syrup in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally until syrup is clear. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Stop stirring, and cook until syrup comes to a boil. Boil until the mixture is caramelized and the temperature just reaches 340° Remove from heat. Carefully pour in the cream (caramel may bubble up) and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in sea salt. Pour into a glass measurer and allow to cool for about 15 minutes. Pour a thin layer of caramel over the custard, about ¾ cup worth.
Vanilla Whipped Cream:
1 cup cream
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Beat cream and brown sugar in the mixer until it forms soft peaks, add the vanilla and mix to incorporate. Garnish outside edge of pie with whipped cream and reserved banana slices.
