- 4 cups
heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups
whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups
plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla
bean, split in half lengthwise and seeds scraped
- 3 large egg
yolks
- 2 large
eggs
- 1/2
cup cornstarch
- 1 recipe
Graham Cracker Crust, recipe follows
- 3 pounds (about 9) firm but ripe bananas, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
- 1/2
teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Caramel Sauce, recipe follows
- Chocolate Sauce, recipe follows
- Shaved chocolate, for garnish
- Confectioner's sugar, for garnish
Combine 2 cups of the cream, the milk, 1/2
cup of the sugar, the vanilla bean, and the vanilla seeds in a large
heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil, whisking to
dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat.
Combine the egg yolks, eggs, cornstarch,
and 1 cup of the sugar in a medium bowl, and whisk pale yellow in color. Set
aside.
Whisk 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into
the egg yolks. Gradually add the egg mixture to the hot cream, whisking
constantly. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly with a large wooden spoon to
cook out the cornstarch and the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. (The mixture
may separate slightly. If so, remove from the heat and beat with an electric
mixer until thick and smooth.) Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean
bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down against the surface to prevent a
skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator for about 4 hours.
To assemble, spread 1/2 cup of the custard
over the bottom of the prepared crust, smoothing with the back of a large spoon
or rubber spatula. Arrange enough banana slices (not quite one-third) in a
tight, tiled pattern over the custard, pressing down with your hands to pack
them firmly. Repeat to build a second layer, using 3/4 cup of the custard and
enough bananas to cover, smoothing down the layer evenly. For the third layer,
spread 3/4 cup of custard over the bananas and top with the remaining bananas,
starting 1-inch from the outer edge and working toward the center. Spread 1 cup
of custard evenly over the bananas to prevent discoloration. Cover with plastic
wrap and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
In a medium bowl, whip the cream until soft
peaks form. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar and the vanilla extract and
whip until stiff peaks form.
Remove the pie from the refrigerator. With
a sharp knife dipped in hot water, cut the pie into 10 equal slices. Transfer
the slices to dessert plates. Fill a pastry bag with the whipped cream and pipe
onto each slice. (Alternately, spread the whipped cream evenly over the pie
before cutting.)
Drizzle each slice with the caramel sauce
and chocolate sauce, sprinkle with the chocolate shavings and confectioners'
sugar, and serve.
Graham Cracker Crust:
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar
in a medium bowl and mix well. Add the butter and mix well. Press the mixture
into a 9-inch pie pan. Top with aluminum pie tin and with a circular motion,
press the crust tightly into the pan. Bake until browned, about 25 minutes.
Cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
Yield: 1 (9-inch) crust
Caramel Sauce:
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup whole milk
Combine the sugar, water, and lemon juice
in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until the
sugar dissolves. Let boil without stirring until the mixture becomes a deep
amber color, 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely so it doesn't burn. Add the
cream, whisk to combine, and remove from the heat. Add the milk, 2 tablespoons
at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Remove from the heat and
cool to room temperature before serving with the pie. (The sauce will thicken
as it cools.)
Yield: generous 3/4 cup
Chocolate Sauce:
3/4 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 pound semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Scald the half-and-half and butter in a
small, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat.
Place the chocolate and vanilla in a
medium, heat-proof bowl. Add the hot half-and-half and let sit for 2 minutes,
then whisk until smooth. Serve slightly warm. (The sauce can be kept
refrigerated in an airtight container for several days, but it must be returned
to room temperature before serving.
Yield: generous 3/4 cup
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