Triple Layer Banana Cream Pie
Dreamy, rich chocolate ganache, creamy vanilla custard and thick sliced sweet bananas make the perfect updated filling in this modern banana cream pie. And honestly, as you add each layer to this pie you will think, I could just stop at that, but don’t! Because as you will see, every bite of this pie with all its glorious layers will have you thinking in the end that this is exactly how banana cream pie was meant to be.
Equipment
- 9" pie plate
Ingredients
Pie shell and bananas
- 1 pie dough ball from "Busy Life Pie Crust" recipe at https://cansanity.com/?page_id=2010
- 3 small bananas ripe but still firm
For chocolate ganache:
- 3 ounces bittersweet or dark chocolate chopped
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¼ cup heavy cream
For the custard:
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2½ cups whole milk
- ½ vanilla bean or substitute ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Whipped cream topping:
- 1¼ cup whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate for garnish
- 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate shaved
Instructions
To blind bake the pie crust:
- Roll out the dough ball into a 13" circle. Fold in half and place in the 9" pie plate. Trim and flute the edges.
- Lightly butter a piece of tin foil and place buttered side down inside the pie. Add pie weights.
- Bake in a 400°F oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Remove the pie weights and buttered tin foil. Let the pie shell cool on a wire rack.
To make the chocolate ganache:
- Add the chocolate, cream and butter to a small stainless steel pot and heat on medium-low. Stir constantly until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Remove from heat and pour into a bowl to cool for 15 minutes.
- Once cooled, whisk to combine.
To make the custard:
- In a 3-litre saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and kosher salt.
- While whisking the mixture, slowly stir in the milk. Scrape out the vanilla seeds and add both the seeds and the pod to the pot.
- Turn the element on to medium and bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl. Add a quarter cup of the hot liquid to the egg yolks slowly. Whisk to combine. (This is tempering the yolks so that they do not curdle.)
- Pour the warmed yolks into the milk mixture and cook on low for 5 minutes or until thickened. Stir constantly. Do not let the mixture boil because that may curdle the eggs.
- Add the butter and, once melted, stir to combine.
- Press the mixture through a sieve into a glass bowl. Cover the custard with cellophane and poke some holes in it. This is to prevent a skin from forming on the custard. Cool for 15 minutes but do not cool completely.
Assemble the pie:
- Pour the chocolate ganache into the pie shell and evenly distribute the filling. You can even use a spoon to spread the ganache halfway up the sides of the pastry.
- Spoon half of the warm custard on top of the ganache. Spread to distribute but do not disturb the chocolate layer.
- Add one layer of sliced bananas. I usually slice the bananas ½" thick.
- Top with the remaining custard.
- Cover the pie with cellophane, press to the custard, and refrigerate for 3 hours.
Make the whipped cream:
- To a large bowl, combine the whipping cream and confectioners' sugar. Beat on high until stiff peaks are formed. Add the vanilla and stir.
- Once the pie has chilled, top with whipped cream.
- Using a vegetable peeler, shave the bittersweet chocolate into shavings. Top the pie, cut and serve.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 508kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 7gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 162mgSodium: 214mgPotassium: 368mgFiber: 3gSugar: 26gVitamin A: 952IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 132mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!