A rich and velvety vanilla bean custard layered between fresh bananas tucked into a Biscoff-Banana-Graham Cracker crust, crowned with whipped cream, a drizzle of caramel and chocolate sauce, and banana filled crust crumbles. Every bite is a delightful combination of textures and flavors.
Banana Cream Pie
Indulge in a luxurious dessert with this Banana Cream Pie. The vanilla bean custard is rich and velvety, thanks to the addition of heavy cream and egg yolks. Sliced bananas are nestled in between several layers of custard, adding a fruity freshness to every bite.
And what really sets this Banana Cream Pie apart from all the others? The Biscoff-Banana-Graham Cracker crust.
The crust is a heavenly combination of Biscoff cookies, graham crackers, and mashed bananas, providing a crispy and sweet foundation for the luscious custard filling. The addition of mashed banana is divine! In fact, the crust is so amazing, I baked a little extra for “crust crumbles” which add a texture dimension to the overall appeal of this pie.
As if that’s not enough, this delectable dessert is crowned with a generous dollop of whipped cream, creating a light and airy contrast to the creamy filling. A drizzle of caramel and chocolate sauce adds the perfect finishing touch, bringing an extra layer of sweetness and decadence. Every bite is a delightful combination of textures and flavors, making this Banana Cream Pie the perfect dessert for any occasion.
And… this pie is introduced on Pi Day! 3.14
Ingredients to Make the Banana Cream Pie
Vanilla Bean Custard:
- Egg yolks: Just egg yolks gives this custard the added fat needed for a delicious custard. And a beautiful color!
- Cornstarch: This is the thickening agent (including the egg yolks) for this custard.
- Heavy cream: Use heavy whipping cream for this custard, the higher the fat the better.
- Granulated sugar: As the granulated sugar dissolves in the cream, the texture of the custard becomes smooth and silky.
- Vanilla bean paste: Vanilla extract can be substituted, but you will enjoy the added vanilla flavor than comes from the vanilla bean paste.
Crust and Crust Crumbles:
- Cookies: The deep flavor of the Biscoff cookie combines well with the light flavor of the graham cracker. It’s the perfect combination for bananas!
- Banana: The star of the show for this crust. The more ripe the better in the crust. However, for the pie itself, use barely ripe bananas.
- Unsalted butter: The butter combines the ingredients and gives a little crispness to the crust as it bakes.
Caramel Drizzle Sauce:
- Granulated sugar: Pure cane sugar is preferred when making cooked candy. It has a more stable cooking temperature than sugars made from beets or other products.
- Light corn syrup: Corn syrup helps keep the crystallization of the sugar mixture at a minimum.
- Heavy cream: An important ingredient. Definitely use heavy cream with a high fat content. Add this ingredient slowly to the hot sugar mixture and it is best to warm it a little before adding it.
- Vanilla: Vanilla always enhances the flavor.
Chocolate Drizzle Sauce:
- Half and half: Half and half is used for this sauce because we are going for a thin, drizzle sauce. Heavy cream will be too thick and create a ganache.
- Unsalted butter: Butter also contributes to the drizzle quality of this sauce.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Since this sauce compliments the pie and is not the star of the show, your favorite semi-sweet chocolate chips work great!
- Vanilla: Just a little bit to round out the flavor.
How to Make the Banana Cream Pie:
Vanilla Bean Custard Tips and Tricks:
- Combine egg yolks, cornstarch and 1 cup of the heavy cream before you start cooking the cream and sugar mixture.
- Don’t add the egg yolk mixture until the cream and sugar mixture is at a consistent rolling bowl.
- Use a whisk to constantly stir the cream and sugar mixture while you add the egg yolk mixture. Add the egg yolk mixture SLOWLY. The cream mixture will bubble up.
- Press a piece of plastic wrap down over the surface of the custard mixture (after placing it in a glass bowl). Make sure it covers the entire surface of the custard and the edges of the bowl. Any custard in contact with the air will form a skin and ruin the texture of your custard.
- Do not refrigerate the custard until it has cooled to room temperature and you have whipped it with an electric mixer. If you refrigerate it first, the custard may separate and remain chunky indefinitely.
- Assembling the pie is easier with a chilled custard.
Crust Tips and Tricks:
- Use a food processor to combine the crust ingredients.
- Be sure the cookies are fine in texture before adding the butter and the bananas.
- Use a spatula and the bottom of a measuring cup to shape and smooth the crust into a pie pan and the cookie sheet.
Caramel Drizzle Sauce Tips and Tricks:
- Heat the cream in the microwave before beginning to cook the sugar mixture.
- Only stir the sugar mixture until the sugar has dissolved. Then stop stirring to inhibit crystallization.
- If sugar begins to crystallize on the sides of the pan, use a pastry brush dipped in water to wash the crystals back into the caramel mixture. The water will not affect the caramel.
- Allow the sugar mixture to cook until it is an amber color. Watch it closely as the color changes quickly.
- Stir vigorously when adding the cream to the sugar mixture. Add the cream slowly.
- You may want to wear an oven mitt as you stir the warm cream into the sugar mixture. The sugar mixture will bubble up extremely and steams profusely.
- Don’t scrape the edges of the pan while adding caramel to the glass bowl.
Chocolate Drizzle Sauce Tips and Tricks:
- Use a microwave to heat the butter and half and half. Don’t let it boil.
- Add the warm mixture to the chocolate pieces and stir until smooth. Let cool.
To Assemble Pie:
- Spread about ½ cup of the custard on the bottom of the crust. Arrange about a third of the banana slices, crowding them close together over the custard.
- Next, spread 1 cup of the custard over the bananas. Arrange another third of the banana slices close together over the custard.
- Top with 1 cup custard and the remaining banana slices.
- Top with remaining custard, covering the bananas completely to prevent them from turning brown.
- Top edges of pie with whipped cream. Top the center with crust crumbles. Drizzle chocolate sauce. Drizzle caramel sauce. Chill in fridge for at least 2-4 hours.
- To serve, cut pie into wedges and drizzle more caramel sauce and chocolate sauce.
Something other than Pie?
How about Banana Cream Pie Trifle Cups?
Bake the entire crust on a cookie sheet instead of in a pie pan. Break it apart after it cools. Store in an airtight container. Make all the other pie components as instructed in the recipe.
Then layer…
- crust crumbles
- vanilla bean custard
- bananas
- whipped cream
- caramel and chocolate drizzles
- repeat!
This Banana Cream Pie combines unique flavors into a luxurious pie—especially on Pi Day! 3.14
–Kim
Banana Cream Pie
A rich and velvety vanilla bean custard layered between fresh bananas tucked into a Biscoff-Banana-Graham Cracker crust, crowned with whipped cream, a drizzle of caramel and chocolate sauce, and banana filled crust crumbles. Every bite is a delightful combination of textures and flavors.
Servings: 9 inch pie
Equipment
- 9” pie pan (or 8” pie pan)
- Small cookie sheet
Ingredients
Vanilla Bean Custard:
- 5 large egg yolks
- ¼ cup (28g) cornstarch
- 1 cup (227g) heavy cream
- 2 cups (454g) heavy cream
- 1 ½ cups (297g) granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (14g) vanilla bean paste
Crust:
- 1 sleeve (143g) graham crackers
- 15 (116g) Biscoff cookies
- ½ ripe banana sliced or mashed
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter melted
Caramel Drizzle Sauce:
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 8 Tablespoons (120g) water
- 2 teaspoons (14g) light corn syrup
- 1 cup (227g) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Chocolate Drizzle Sauce:
- ¼ cup half and half
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 1/3 cup (57g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ tsp. vanilla
Banana Cream Pie:
- 1 Crust (recipe above)
- 1 recipe Vanilla Bean Custard (recipe above)
- 3 pounds bananas cut crosswise into ½-inch slices
- ¾ cup caramel drizzle sauce (recipe above)
- ¾ cup chocolate drizzle sauce (recipe above)
- 2 cups heavy cream whipped to stiff peaks with ½ teaspoon vanilla and 2 teaspoons sugar
- crust crumbles
Instructions
Vanilla Bean Custard:
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks, cornstarch and 1 cup of the heavy cream. Whisk to blend well. Set aside.
- Combine the remaining 2 cups cream and sugar in a large heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat. Whisk to dissolve the sugar and bring to a gentle all-over boil.
- While whisking, slowly add the egg yolk mixture. Continue whisking constantly until it thickens, about 5 minutes. Blend vanilla bean paste into the mixture.
- Pour mixture into a glass bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap down over the surface of the mixture to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool completely at room temperature.
- When cooled, use an electric mixer at a medium-speed to combine the mixture and whip until you have a thick and creamy custard. Let chill in refrigerator until ready to assemble the pie.
Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- In a food processor, combine the graham crackers and Biscoff cookies. Pulse until cookies are crumbs.
- Add melted butter and pulse until combined. Add banana slices and pulse until mixture is combined and clumping.
- Reserve 1/8 cup of crust mixture and press into small cookie sheet until ½-inch thick. An uneven shape is expected and after being baked will make the crust crumbles.
- Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan. Bake both pie crust and crust crumbles in the same oven at 350° F for 20-25 minutes, or until browned. (Bake 8-inch crust for 17-20 minutes). Remove the pans from the oven and cool for about 10 minutes.
Caramel Drizzle Sauce:
- Heat the cream in the microwave for 1 minute. Set aside.
- Combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved (just before boiling) and then stop stirring (since stirring will create crystallization). But if you notice sugar crystalizing on the sides of the pan, use a pastry brush dipped in water to wash the crystals back into the caramel mixture.
- Once the caramel becomes amber in color, remove the pan from the heat. While vigorously stirring, slowly add the cream. It will bubble up.
- Pour into a glass bowl without scraping the edges of the pan. Stir in the vanilla. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Chocolate Drizzle Sauce:
- Combine the half and half and butter in a microwave safe bowl. Heat mixture in microwave for 20-30 seconds. Do not boil.
- Add the chocolate and vanilla and stir until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth.
- Let cool. The sauce can be kept refrigerated for several days, but it must be returned to room temperature before serving.
To Assemble Pie:
- Spread about ½ cup of the custard on the bottom of the crust. Arrange about a third of the banana slices, crowding them close together over the custard.
- Next, spread 1 cup of the custard over the bananas. Arrange another third of the banana slices close together over the custard.
- Top with 1 cup custard and the remaining banana slices.
- Top with remaining custard, covering the bananas completely to prevent them from turning brown.
- Top edges of pie with whipped cream. Top the center with crust crumbles. Drizzle chocolate sauce. Drizzle caramel sauce. Chill in fridge for at least 2 hours.
- To serve, cut pie into wedges and drizzle more caramel sauce and chocolate sauce.
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