Banana Cream Pie Recipe

CRUST

1/2 c walnuts, finely chopped

3/4 c all-purpose flour

1 t sugar

1/4 t salt

2 T cold diced butter

1 egg, beaten

Mix walnuts, flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add egg, then cut in butter. Shape into a dough ball, wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Press into greased pie pan and bake at 300 for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

PUDDING (3 c)

2 c whole milk

1/2 t vanilla

1 c sugar

pinch salt

6 egg yolks

1/4 c cornstarch

1/2 stick cold diced butter

Combine milk, 1/2 c sugar, vanilla and salt in a saucepan. In a separate bowl mix yolks, remaining 1/2 c sugar and cornstarch. Heat the saucepan mixture over medium heat until bubbles begin to form around the edges, whisking constantly. When bubbles appear remove from heat. Ladle/spoon a thin stream of the hot mix into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Repeat a few times. Add eggs to saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat whisking, waiting for large bubbles to surface from bottom and pop on the top. When this happens, pause stirring every few minutes, then add butter. When custardy remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Put in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate 4 hours.

CANDIED NUT TOPPING (1 c)

1/8 c honey

1 t vanilla

1/4 t cinnamon

1/4 t salt

1 c walnuts, chopped

1/2 T butter, melted

Preheat oven to 300. Combine all ingredients in bowl. Spread on greased sheet and bake 20 minutes, stirring/scraping every 5 minutes. When browned, remove and cool.

COMPLETED BANANA CREAM PIE

walnut crust

3 c pudding

4-5 bananas

1 1/2 t lemon juice

1/4-1/2 c sour cream

candied nuts

Slice bananas in half width-wise, then into four long slices length-wise (8 pieces per banana total). Toss in lemon juice and mix with sour cream. Layer in pie crust with pudding. Top with nuts, cover and chill 2 hours.

Notes:

• Grease the dish way more than you think. This is good because 1) there's no way anything will stick, especially in the corners, and 2) you'll get that lovely buttery crust!
• When making tart pastry, if butter is starting to melt put it in the freezer until you need more. You want it to stay as cold as possible.
• When placing tart pastry into pie pan, grab chunks and press until flat. Don't spend too much time on one part, or the heat from your fingers will start to melt the butter! You want to still see chunks of butter, as this will make the crust lovely and flaky.
• Make sure to maintain MEDIUM heat for the pudding. If you go higher you will burn the milk/eggs.If your pudding isn't thickening, you may have forgotten the cornstarch (like me)! If you added everything correctly you could be stirring too much. In a pinch add flour, which is a thickening agent. It won't really affect the taste unless you add a ton.