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Title: Big Banana Cream Pie W/caramelized Bananas & Banana Lique
Categories: Pie Fruit
Yield: 8 Servings

CREAM PIE CRUST
1 1/2cFlour
1pnSalt
1/2tsSugar
6tbUnsalted butter; cold/cut up
3tbShortening; very cold
3tb;ice water (or more)
BANANA CREAM FILLING
5 Egg yolks
2tbFlour
1/4cCornstarch
2/3cSugar
3cMilk
3tbButter
1tbBanana liqueur
2tsVanilla extract
CARAMELIZED FLAMED BANANAS
2tbUnsalted butter
1/4cLight brown sugar
3mdBananas; not too ripe
1tbBanana liqueur
BANANA WHIP CREAM
2cCream
3tbSugar
2tbBanana liqueur

FOR CRUST: Mix flour, salt and sugar. Cut in butter and shortening until it looks like flaky meal. Sprinkle in ice water. Work into a ball that cleans the sides of the mixing bowl. (To mix in a food processor, place dry ingredients in work bowl, top with butter and shortening, an pulse until mealy. With machine running, pour in the ice water all at once. When dough forms a ball that knocks around the sides of the machine, stop immediately.)

Flatten dough into a disk, then wrap with plastic wrap, and chill 30 minutes (or freeze).

Heat oven to 425 for a glass pie plate; 450 for metal. Roll dough to a circle 3 to 4 inches wider than the pie plate. Set in plate and cut overhang with scissors so dough extends 3/4 inch beyond the rim. Fold overhang under so it is even with plate's rim and crimp large flutes. Prick the bottom and sides all over with a fork, about 50 times. Cover bottom with foil, fill with rice or beans, and bake 15 minutes. Pour off grains and foil and return crust to oven to bake 5 to 10 minutes more. Crust should be pale.

FOR FILLING: Stir yolks and set bowl in a place convenient to the stove.

In a heavy saucepan, whisk flour, cornstarch, sugar, and milk until free of lumps. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring fast and getting into the corners of the pot.

Remove from heat and whisk a little of the milk into the egg yolks, then pour the tempered yolks into the hot milk. Continue to cook another FULL 2 minutes, stirring constantly. If lumps form, strain into a bowl.

Pour into a bowl and add butter, banana liqueur, and vanilla, stirring to cool. Press plastic wrap onto surface to prevent a skin from forming. Set filling aside while you prepare the bananas.

FOR CARAMALIZED BANANAS: Place butter and brown sugar in large skillet; slice in the bananas. Heat over medium-high heat until butter melts and sugar begins to caramelize, about 3 minutes. Don't over-mush the bananas. Shake the pan to distribute bananas instead of bruising them with a tool. (If you must use a tool, use a rubber spatula.) With heat high, pour in liqueur all at once. Ignite with a match and let flame subside by itself. Pour bananas onto a jelly-roll pan to cool quickly.

TO ASSEMBLE: Line the baked pie shell with cooled bananas. Top with filling (which may still be warm). Wrap pie in plastic and refrigerate until filling sets, about 6 hours.

In a cold bowl, with cold beaters, whip the cream, sugar, and liqueur to stiff peaks. Pipe from a pastry bag fitted with a large star-shaped tip with a wide opening. You will have lots of whipped cream, so the designs can be big, even garish. Make rows, rounds, mounds, or swirls. Chill again, and keep cold until serving.

To slice wedges, use a smooth knife dipped in a tall glass of hot water, then wiped dry.

Source: "Gooey Desserts" by Elaine Corn By fatfree-request@fatfree.com on Jun 16, 1997

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