Banana Cream Pie

Submitted by swirlycinnacakes

"Banana--the ultimate fruit pie"

 

• Ready In: 55mins
• Ingredients: 13
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• 1 large banana

• For the pie crust

• 1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons ice water

• For the pudding

• 2 cups 2% low-fat milk
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon banana extract
• 3 drops yellow food coloring
• 1 tablespoon butter

directions

1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour and sugar until evenly distributed. Drop the butter pieces into the bowl and cover them with the dry mixture. Using your fingers, press the flour mixture into the butter pieces, dropping them back into the dry mixture and pressing them again. Repeat this process (called rubbing) until you've got what looks like rough ground oats. Add the water, and gather the dough bits together, being careful not to knead the dough (so the gluten does not have a chance to be developed).
2. Refrigerate the dough about an hour, then roll it out thinly on a floured board with a floured rolling pin. Roll the dough up onto the pin and lay it down into the pie tin carefully, trimming the edgeswith a spoon, for a scalloped edge, or leaving an inch or so hang down to be rolled under for a more rustic look. I rolled out some extra dough and used a small round cookie cutter to make a bunch of rounds, and overlapped them on the rim, adhering them with a pastry brush dipped in water.
3. Use a fork to "dock" the dough once its ready to be baked, or fill the pie shell with pie weights so it doesnt bubble up while baking. Bake for about 15 minutes at 350, or until the entire pie crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool fully before filling.
4. In medium saucepan over medium heat, heat milk until bubbles form at edges. In a bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Pour into hot milk, a little at a time, stirring to dissolve. Continue to cook and stir until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Do not boil. Remove from heat, stir in the extracts, food colouring and butter. Refrigerate in the bowl for about 20 minutes before spooning it into the (cooled) baked pie crust. Layer with slices of ripe banana. Cover with freshly whipped cream and a few more banana slices.