Banana Cream Pie

Recipe from 6/16/18 by Chef Michelle Bernstein

Cookie Crust

  • 1½ cups cookie crumbs (we used Nilla Wafers)
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 6 tablespoons butter, melted butter

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Mix together the cookie crumbs, sugar and melted butter until the texture of wet sand. Press evenly into the pie plate makes sure the bottoms and edges are the same thickness. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 375˚F for 7 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool completely before filling.

Vanilla Pudding (Adapted from Joy of Baking)

  • 3½ cups whole milk
  • 1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ½ vanilla bean, spilt and scraped or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

In a large stainless steel (or heatproof) bowl whisk together 1/3 cup sugar, cornstarch, salt, eggs and egg yolk. Whisk in ½ cup of milk. Set aside while you heat the rest of the milk and sugar. Have ready a fine medium-sized strainer and bowl as you will need to strain the pudding after it is cooked.

First, rinse a medium-sized heavy saucepan with cold water and then shake out the excess water; this prevents the milk from scorching. Then pour the remaining 3 cups of milk, along with the remaining ¼ cup of sugar, into the saucepan and bring just to a boil. Remove from heat and gradually pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly, until the mixture is smooth. Transfer the pudding mixture to a clean, large heavy-bottomed saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens to the consistency of mayonnaise (about 3-5 minutes). Remove from heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla extract. If necessary, pour through the strainer to remove any lumps that may have formed during cooking. Cover the pudding with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until well chilled, at least two hours.

To finish the pie

  • Fresh bananas
  • Whipped cream, lightly sweetened
  • Bourbon gel (recipe below)

Fill the vanilla wafer shell with 1½ sliced bananas. Top with about 2-3 cups of vanilla pudding. Top with more sliced bananas, whip cream and top with some tiny Nilla Wafers and bourbon gel if so desired.

Bourbon Gel

  • 2 cups Bourbon, good quality
  • 7 sheets gelatin, bloomed in ice water
  • 2 tablespoons sugar, more or less to taste

Heat the Bourbon in a medium saucepan, add the sugar, when it melts, remove from the heat. Add bloomed gelatin, mix well. Pour into a sheet pan that has been lined with plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator and allow to set. Finely chop or slice.