Banana Cream Pie (for the patient baker)

prepared by and photo by Emily Doscher

(8 servings)

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CRUST

All-purpse flour, for dusting

1 disk Pate Brisee

FOR THE FILLING

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 tsp coarse salt

4 large egg yolks

2 cups whole milk

2 tbsp cold unsalted butter

3 ripe bananas, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced cross wise

FOR THE TOPPING

1  1/2 cups heavy cream

3 tsp confectioner’s sugar

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 block (about 5 oz) bittersweet chocolate

DIRECTIONS

Make the crust: Preheat oven to 425F.  On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough into a 14″ round (1/4″ thick).  Fit dough into a 9″ pie plate.  Trim dough to extend above edges by 1″, fold under, and crimp.  Pick bottom with a fork, and freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.  Cut a large round of parchment paper (about 11″), and place in pie shell, allowing excess to extend above edges.  Fill with pie weights.  Freeze until cold, about 10 minutes.

Bake crust 15 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 375F.  Remove pie weights and parchment, and bake until golden brown, about 10-20 minutes more.  Let cool on a wire rack.

Make the filling: Combine granulated sugar, cornstarch, and slat in a bowl.  Add egg yolks, and whisk until smooth.  Bring milk to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add 1/2 cup milk to yolk mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly.  Pour mixture into pan with hot milk, and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture begins to bubble and is very thick, about 6 minutes.

Pour milk mixture through a large-mesh sieve into a bowl.  Add butter, and stir until melted.  Fold in bananas.  Pour into crust.  Place plastic wrap directly on surface of filling to prevent a skin from forming.  Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Make the topping: Beat together cream, sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form.  Spread whipped cream over filling.  Using a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon, shape topping into peaks.

Using a vegetable peeler, shave chocolate at 45-degree angle, and scatter over pie.  (You will only need about 1 oz of chocolate for the shavings, but it will be easier to shave if you start with a larger piece than you need)  Serve.