You will go Bananas over this pie!!

What is the Difference between a Banana Cream Pie and a Banana Custard Pie?

That is a good question. Frequently they are confused. A banana cream pie is usually made with a packaged pudding like what Jello provides. A banana custard pie is a pudding type custard that is made from scratch by heating milk and eggs.

Fun Facts about Banana Pie:

• Until the 1900’s, Pie was considered a breakfast food
• Colonist cooked their pies in long pans referred to as coffins. Round pie pans were not common until the early 1800’s
• March 2nd is national pie day
• In 1951 a survey of the Armed Serves revealed that banana cream pie was the favorite.

Old Fashion Banana Custard Pie

Print Recipe

A creamy vanilla custard layered with fresh bananas in a homemade pastry crust and topped with a homemade whipped cream

Ingredients

Pie Crust:

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 4 Tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cold unsalted butter
• 4 Tablespoons ice water
• 1 egg for egg wash
• 1 Tablespoon heavy cream to add to egg wash

Pie Filling:

• 2 whole eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract or bourbon

Whipped Cream Topping:

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1-2 bananas sliced

Instructions

Pie Crust:

• Preheat the oven to 425

  Prepare the 9 inch pie plate:

  – place a piece of parchment paper onto the work surface. Place the pie pan onto the parachment paper and trace around the pan. Cut out the circle of parchment paper.

  – Place beans into foil to use as weights or you can use commercial pie weights
• In your food processor add the flour, sugar and salt. Pulse together.

  Cube the cold butter into small cubes and add to food processor. Pulse the mixture adding in the ice water. Contine pulsing until the mixture as come together into a dough.
• Remove the dough from the food processor and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigate the dough for 30 minutes.
• Prepare the work surface with flour and roll the dough out.

  The dough will need to be a few inches larger than the pan.
  
• Roll the dough onto the rolling pin
  
• Unroll the dough into the pan.
  
• Crimp the edges or design the edges to your liking
• place the parchment paper on the base of the crust. Add your pie weights or beans wraped in foil.

  Blind bake the crust for 15 minutes
  
• While baking. In a small bowl add the egg and cream and beat with a whisk or fork
• Remove the pie weight and brush the crust ( bottom and sides) with the egg and cream mixture
  
• Add foil or pie edge protectors around the edge of the pie crust

  Bake for another 10 minutes at 425

  Reduce the heat and continue to bake the crust for about 15 minutes or until golden brown
  
• Remove the protection from the edges of the pie and prepare the filling.

Pie Filling:

• In one bowl add the eggs and egg yolks. Whisk the eggs and set aside
• In a sauce pan, add the sugar, cornstarch, salt and milk. Whisk the ingredients well
  
• Place the saucepan onto the stove top and continue whisking the mixture until it thickens. I set a timer for 5 minutes to ensure I am giving it enough time. The custard will slowly begin to thicken over the first few minutes on medium heat and then all of a sudden become thick. Make sure the mixture is being whisked well and does not start to burn on the bottom of the pan.
• Reduce the heat to low and continue to whisk the custard for about another 5 minutes.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat
• Add one cup on the hot milk mixture ( custard) to the mixing bowl that has the eggs. Whisk vigously. You do not want the eggs to start to scramble from the hot milk.
  
• Once the first cup of hot milk mixture is well incorporated into the hot milk, add another cup of hot milk and continue with whisking.
• Continue adding the milk and whisking until all the hot milk has been added to the eggs.
• In another mixing bowl, place the butter ( 4 tablespoons cubed) in the bowl with the vanilla or bourbon if using that.
• Pour the hot milk and egg mixture onto the butter. Stir until the butter melts.
• Place plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the filling. This prevents a skin from forming.

  The filling needs to come down to room temperature. This is why you use a new bowl ( it is cool) instead of adding the butter and vanilla directly to the milk and egg mixture.

  the wraped filling can be placed in the freezer to decrease the time to cool off the filling. Be carefull and do not forget it if placed in the freezer. It does not need to be cold.

Assembling the Pie:

• Slice several bananas into 1/2 inch slices. about 3-4 to cover the bottom of the pie pan and about 3-4 for the center and another couple for the top.
• In your crust, spoon enough filling to cover the bottom.
  
• Arrange banana slices on top of the filling
• Spoon filling over the bananas

Whip Cream Topping:

• Add all ingredients to your stand mixer and whip until peaks form.
• Spoon whip cream on top of the pie.

  Top off with bananas for decoration
  
• Refrigerate the pie. Serve cold.

  The bananas on top can be added right before serving to prevent browning

Course: Dessert

Keyword: Banana Cream Pie, Banana Custard Pie, Banana Pie

Author: Beverly

Make sure you leave me a comment and let me know what you think about the Old Fashion Banana Custard Pie

This is definitely not that Pudding ( Jello) that starts out as a powder in a box.

Cheers…..Happy Baking !!