Southern-style Banana Cream Pie with Peanut Brittle Crust and Warm Bourbon Caramel Sauce
Yield: Makes one 9-inch pie
There are numerous variations on the theme of good ol’ banana cream pie. You certainly can use a prebaked pastry crust, perhaps sprinkled with crushed brittle or chopped peanuts, or your favorite cookie-crumb-style crust. You can make the filling from scratch or use an excellent vanilla pudding mix. The key is to create a decadent, cool, silky environment for really great organic bananas.
This recipe from my grandmother’s ever-bountiful kitchen really ups the wow factor with the addition of peanut brittle or roasted peanuts in the crust and as a garnish, and a smoky bourbon caramel sauce for drizzling each slice. Yum!
Ingredients
Preparation
NotesIngredients
For the Pastry Cream Filling
- 4 egg yolks Add to list
- 1/2 cup sugar Add to list
- 2 tablespoons flour Add to list
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch Add to list
- 3/4 teaspoon salt Add to list
- 2 cups milk or half and half Add to list
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, chopped Add to list
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste Add to list
- 1 tablespoon bourbon (optional) Add to list
For the pie
- 1/2 cup of your favorite caramel sauce Add to list
- 2 tablespoons bourbon Add to list
- 2 large or 3 medium-size organic bananas, thinly sliced on the diagonal Add to list
- Pastry cream filling Add to list
- Peanut Brittle Pie Crust Add to list
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream Add to list
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar Add to list
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste Add to list
- Chopped peanut brittle or finely chopped peanuts Add to list
Preparation
To make the Pastry Cream Filling
In a medium bowl, beat together the egg yolks, sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt. Heat the milk or half and half until it is just starting to simmer. Add the hot milk to the egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly until blended. Pour the mixture back in the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it bubbles and thickens (about 3 to 4 minutes). Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, vanilla and bourbon (if you are using it).
Allow to cool completely. You can make this mixture a day ahead and keep refrigerated until ready to use.
To make the pie
Combine the caramel sauce and the bourbon in a small pot and allow to simmer for 1 minute to dissipate some of the alcohol.
Layer the bananas and pastry cream filling into the crust, finishing the top with the pastry cream. Beat the heavy whipping cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla and mound over the top. Sprinkle with chopped peanut brittle or peanuts and serve with warm bourbon sauce.
Notes
PCC sells wonderful organic vanilla pudding mix, which, although not quite as decadent, would be great in this recipe in place of the pie filling. A 3.8-ounce package makes 2 cups of pudding, just right for the pie. I like to add a touch of vanilla bean paste scraped from the inside of a vanilla bean or perhaps a splash of bourbon to the finished pudding!
Recipe by
Source: Demonstrated on KING 5's "New Day Northwest" show, which aired March 14, 2012.
ABOUT OUR CHEF: Lynne Vea
Lynne Vea is a graduate of the Executive Chef Program at Le Cordon Bleu, Paris and has been cooking with PCC Natural Markets since 2001. Featured on King-5’s "Gardening with Ciscoe," she demonstrates easy and delicious recipes using seasonal ingredients.
Lynne is an admired PCC Cooks instructor, teaching a variety of popular PCC Cooks classes throughout the year.
She loves to collect old cookbooks, hunt for wild berries, and cook seven-course dinners where the guests are encouraged to dance and cavort between courses.
Find more recipes from Lynne.
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