Banana Cream Pie

You’ll go bananas for our classic Banana Cream Pie. A flaky homemade pie crust, rich vanilla pastry cream, fresh banana slices and a sweet vanilla-flavored whipped topping come together in a luxurious version of this nostalgic dessert. Our Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract and Paste bring an ideal creamy, rich and smooth flavor profile to this treat.

Ingredients

USMetric

Pie Crust

1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold
¼ cup water, ice cold

Vanilla Pastry Cream Filling

8 large egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 ⅔ cups whole milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
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Assembly

1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Paste
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2-3 medium sized yellow bananas
Chocolate shavings (optional)

Directions

Vanilla Pastry Cream Filling

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, ½ cup granulated sugar and cornstarch until lumps are gone.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring milk, ½ cup granulated sugar and salt to a boil, whisking occasionally. Once boiling, remove the pan from the heat.

Temper the yolks by whisking in about ¼ cup of the heated milk mixture into the egg mixture. Once the milk is fully incorporated, whisk in another ¼ cup of the milk. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan, and continue cooking over medium-low heat, whisking constantly until cream begins to thicken and boil, about 1 minute.

Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla until completely melted. Pour mixture into a rimmed baking sheet or large baking dish and cover with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic wrap gently touches the top of the cream. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.

Pie Crust

In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Dice the cold butter into ½-inch cubes. Add butter to the bowl and toss to coat in flour. Cut the butter into the flour mixture by breaking up the butter with fork as you go until the mixture resembles coarse meal and the largest pieces of butter are no larger than ¼ inch.

Form a well in the center of the mixture and add the cold water. Starting from the center, begin incorporating the flour mixture with the fork until the dough comes together in large clumps. The dough will be slightly loose but should hold together when squeezed. Using your hands, gently gather the dough into a ball, pressing it together and flatten into a disk about 1 inch thick. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

Remove the dough from the fridge and unwrap it. Lightly flour the rolling surface, the top of the dough and a rolling pin. Begin rolling the dough, rotating often to make sure it is not sticking. Roll the dough to ⅙ inch thick with a diameter that is at least 2 inches larger than the size of your pie plate.

Gently fold the dough round in half from top to bottom and then in half again from left to right. Pick the dough up with both hands, place the tip of the dough in the center of the pie plate and carefully unfold it. Gently tuck the dough into the edges of the pan.

Press the dough into the sides of the pan to smooth out any wrinkles. Allow a ½-inch overhang on all sides of the pie plate. Trim any excess with a pair of kitchen scissors. Fold the overhanging dough so that it is fully resting on the rim of the pan and not hanging over the edge.

Place the lined pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

While the dough rests, preheat the oven to 425°F.

Remove the baking sheet with the pie pan from the refrigerator. Using a fork, poke holes along the bottom and sides of the dough. Line the dough with a large square of parchment paper or aluminum foil that is slightly larger than the pie plate and fill the pan with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice all the way to the top of the rim.

Bake for 15-17 minutes or until very lightly golden. The parchment/foil should lift out easily. If it does not, return it to the oven for 2-3 more minutes until you can lift it out without tearing the dough.

Remove the lining with the weights, lower the oven heat to 350°F and return crust to the oven for 5-7 minutes. Crust is ready when it is golden brown and no longer appears wet or doughy and can move easily inside the pan.

Set crust aside to cool before filling.

Assembly

Peel and cut bananas into ½-inch rounds. Line the bottom of the baked and cooled crust with as many bananas that will fit in a single layer. Soften pastry cream by stirring or whisking together before placing on top of bananas. Smooth the top of the pastry cream with a rubber or offset spatula.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand-held mixer, whip cream and sugar on medium speed until medium peaks form. Cover pie with whipped cream and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. Top with chocolate shavings for serving if desired.

Notes

Check out our tutorial on How to Temper Eggs to learn how to master the technique used in this recipe.
Keep pie wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Note that the crust will soften over time.
Sprinkle leftover pie scraps with cinnamon-sugar and bake at 375°F until golden brown for a no-food-waste snack.
Pie dough can be baked a day in advance. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap after is cooled.
Recipe developed by Pastry Chef Jessica Ellington

Pie Crust

120 grams all-purpose flour
1 gram kosher salt
113 grams unsalted butter, cold
56 grams water, ice cold

Vanilla Pastry Cream Filling

160 grams egg yolks
200 grams granulated sugar, divided
27 grams cornstarch
605 grams whole milk
5 grams kosher salt
28 grams unsalted butter
15 grams Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
buy now

Assembly

240 grams heavy cream
12 grams tablespoons powdered sugar
5 grams Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Paste
buy now
2-3 medium sized yellow bananas
Chocolate shavings (optional)

Directions

Vanilla Pastry Cream Filling

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, 100 grams granulated sugar and cornstarch until lumps are gone.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring milk, 100 grams granulated sugar and salt to a boil, whisking occasionally. Once boiling, remove the pan from the heat.

Temper the yolks by whisking in about 50 grams of the heated milk mixture into the egg mixture. Once the milk is fully incorporated, whisk in another 50 grams of the milk. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan, and continue cooking over medium-low heat, whisking constantly until cream begins to thicken and boil, about 1 minute.

Pie Crust

In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Dice the cold butter into 1.2 cm cubes. Add butter to the bowl and toss to coat in flour. Cut the butter into the flour mixture by breaking up the butter with fork as you go until the mixture resembles coarse meal and the largest pieces of butter are no larger than 6 mm.

Form a well in the center of the mixture and add the cold water. Starting from the center, begin incorporating the flour mixture with the fork until the dough comes together in large clumps. The dough will be slightly loose but should hold together when squeezed. Using your hands, gently gather the dough into a ball, pressing it together and flatten into a disk about 2.5 cm thick. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

Remove the dough from the fridge and unwrap it. Lightly flour the rolling surface, the top of the dough and a rolling pin. Begin rolling the dough, rotating often to make sure it is not sticking. Roll the dough to 4 mm thick with a diameter that is at least 5 cm larger than the size of your pie plate.

Press the dough into the sides of the pan to smooth out any wrinkles. Allow a 1.2 cm overhang on all sides of the pie plate. Trim any excess with a pair of kitchen scissors. Fold the overhanging dough so that it is fully resting on the rim of the pan and not hanging over the edge.

Place the lined pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

While the dough rests, preheat the oven to 220°C.

Remove the lining with the weights, lower the oven heat to 175°C and return crust to the oven for 5-7 minutes. Crust is ready when it is golden brown and no longer appears wet or doughy and can move easily inside the pan.

Set crust aside to cool before filling.

Assembly

Peel and cut bananas into 1.2 cm rounds. Line the bottom of the baked and cooled crust with as many bananas that will fit in a single layer. Soften pastry cream by stirring or whisking together before placing on top of bananas. Smooth the top of the pastry cream with a rubber or offset spatula.

Notes

Check out our tutorial on How to Temper Eggs to learn how to master the technique used in this recipe.
Keep pie wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Note that the crust will soften over time.
Sprinkle leftover pie scraps with cinnamon-sugar and bake at 190°C until golden brown for a no-food-waste snack.
Pie dough can be baked a day in advance. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap after is cooled.
Recipe developed by Pastry Chef Jessica Ellington