Recipe: Banana Cream Pie with Graham Cracker Crust

PIE-A-DAY #27

Photo: Shelley Boyle

Don’t you just want to stick your face in that cream? The bottom of the pie is intriguing too: a graham cracker shell lined with banana slices.

This mouthwatering Banana Cream Pie comes to us from Annie Miler of Clementine, a bakery and catering service in Los Angeles. Read below for the recipe, and and click here to enter YOUR delicious pie (or pies) in the 4th Annual Good Food Pie Contest on Saturday, September 8th at LACMA.

Banana Cream Pie

(From Annie Miler of Clementine)

For 1 pie:

1 lb., 3 oz pastry cream

In Kitchen Aid bowl, whip:

1 ½ C. heavy cream

¼ C. crème fraiche

Slice:

1 ½ medium bananas (approximately 3/8 “ thick)

Line the bottom of a graham shell with sliced bananas

Lighten pastry cream with ½ cup of crème fraiche mixture. Slice 2 medium bananas, and fold gently into cream mixture. Pour into graham shell and spread on top of sliced bananas. Top pie with rest of crème fraiche mixture, then refrigerate for one hour before serving.

Graham Shells (1 regular crust or 4 small)

Combine:

1 ¼ c. graham crumbs

1 tsp. sugar

Add:

2 oz. melted butter

(Be sure not to let butter get too hot or separate. Do not add all the butter at one time. Add just enough for the crumbs to hold their shape when squeezed in hand.)

Mix well until crumbs are well moistened

Place approximately 1 ¾ c. ( ¾ C for small) graham mixture into each pan, shape. Bake at 275º for 9-10 mins. (7-9 mins for small)

Baking at any higher temp. will burn top edges.

Pastry Cream

Combine in a pot and bring to boil:

8 C. milk

8 oz. sugar

1 vanilla bean, cut and scraped

mix:

8 egg yolks (5oz.)

4 eggs (7oz.)

sift well:

5 oz. cornstarch

8 oz. sugar

Add to eggs and whisk very well.

When milk boils, temper eggs, add egg mixture to pot.

Whisk well and constantly until mixture gets very bubbly, continue to whisk for a few minutes until very thick.

Remove from heat.

add:

4oz. butter

Mix until fully incorporated and mixture is smooth again.

Strain into bowl, cover surface of cream completely and well with plastic wrap.

Cool in a water bath.