Yesterday was National Pie Day.
On Facebook, I asked the question “What’s your favorite pie?” and got so many yummy responses, I had to make a pie.
Captain Cavedweller loves banana cream pie, so I decided to make one for him (and I may have eaten a piece, too).
This recipe has a few steps to it, but it is easy to make.
Banana Cream Pie
For the Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
4 Tbsp. melted butter
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
For the Filling:
2 cups heavy cream, whipped
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 3.4oz box instant banana cream pudding
1 cup cold milk
8 oz. cream cheese
1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
2 ripe bananas, sliced
toasted coconut (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix the graham crackers with sugar and cinnamon then blend with the melted butter. When the crumbs are moist and you can pinch them together, they are well blended. If they still seem a little dry, add a dash of water. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a pie pan. (I cheated and melted the butter in the pie pan then mixed the crumbs with the butter directly in the pan. One less dish to wash and the pan doesn’t lose any of the butter in transfer.) Bake the crust for approximately 8 minutes then cool completely.
Using a mixer, whip the cream with sugar and vanilla until peaks form. Set aside.
Mix the pudding mix with one cup of milk and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy then add the pudding and sweetened condensed milk, scraping the bowl and beating until smooth. Using a spatula or spoon, gently fold in half of the whipped cream.
In the cooled crust, spread a thin layer of the filling. Top with banana slices. If you like more banana, cut into chunks rather than slices and use three or four, instead of two. Spoon in the rest of the filling then top with the remaining whipped cream.
Carefully cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour (overnight is even better).
To serve, decorate the top with toasted coconut and banana chunks (or a drizzle of caramel or chocolate).
She Who Had a Very Happy Husband When He Tasted This Pie
