Banana Cream Pie

[Catherine Iino]

Banana Cream Pie

This recipe is based on one by Sarabeth Levine that appeared many years ago in, I believe, a magazine that Cuisinart used to put out. A couple of the ingredients are different, and I use the food processor a lot less than the recipe originally specified.

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Crust

• 1-1/4 c almonds
  
• 1/2 c sugar
  
• 3/4 c butter, salted, room temperature
  
• 1 large egg
  
• 1-1/2 c unbleached, all-purpose flour
  
• 1/8 tsp baking powder
  

Filling

• 1 c milk
  
• 3 egg yolks
  
• 1/3 c sugar
  
• 1 T cornstarch
  
• 1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 1/2 pkg Knox gelatin
  
• 1/4 c warm water
  
• 2 c heavy cream
  
• 4 ripe bananas
  
• 1/3 c confectioner's sugar
  

Crust:

Toast almonds, in their skins, for about 10 minutes, until fragrant. Let cool.

Grind the almonds with the sugar in a food processor to a very fine powder but not a paste. Add the butter; process to blend. Add the egg, then the flour. Pulse just until blended.

Divide the dough into two parts. You will need only one of these for the pie; freeze the other (or double the filling recipe). Shape each half into a disk; wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Roll the dough out to fit a 9" pie plate. Fit it into the pan; crimp the rim; and prick the bottom and sides thoroughly with a fork. Chill for another hour.

Bake the empty shell for 25-30 minutes at 350 degress, until golden brown. You shouldn't need to weight the crust.

Pie

Dissolve the gelatin in the water; set aside.

Scald the milk (I do this in a measuring cup in the microwave).

In a small saucepan, whisk together the yolks, sugar, and cornstarch. Gradually whisk in the hot milk. Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick. Stir in the gelatin and the vanilla extract. Place plastic wrap on the surface and let cool to room temperature.

Whip 3/4 cup of the cream in a chilled bowl; fold into the cooled custard.

Slice the bananas quite thin. Gently fold the slices into the custard.

Scrape the filling into the pie shell and chill until set.

Whip the remaining cream with the confectioner's sugar and cover the filling with swirled mounds of whipped cream.

Keywords: Dessert, Food Processor, Intermediate, Pie, American

( RG2021 )