How to Make Banana Cream Pie

Banana cream pie is my favorite dessert. No matter how many creme brulees and tarte Tatins my girlfriend makes me, I long for this diner classic. I've enlisted her help to let the world know how to make this splendid confection.

Things You'll Need

• Medium-sized saucepot
• Wire whisk
• Electric mixer with whip attachment, or a large bowl and a wire whisk
• Single pie crust, made with butter (no shortening), fully baked
• 1 cup cream
• 1 cup milk
• 1 vanilla bean
• Scant 1/2 cup sugar
• 6 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 Tbs. butter
• Sugar to make vanilla sugar
• 2 cups pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized) heavy cream, very cold

Instructions

1. Put all but 1/4 cup of the milk and the cream into a medium saucepot. Slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and, using the tip of a paring knife, scrape the seeds firmly out of the vanilla bean and put them in the pot with the dairy and the scraped vanilla pod. Place the pot over medium heat and bring to a boil.

2. Put the remaining 1/4 cup milk and eggyolks into a large bowl and whisk in the cornstarch and sugar. Immediately add the hot dairy in a stream, whisking madly all the while. Return this mixture to the pot and whisk vigorously over low heat until it thickens and just begins to boil. Pass through a medium sieve and then add the butter. Stir to incorporate. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until very cold. Wash the vanilla pods off, dry them, and set into a very low oven to dry.

3. When the vanilla pod is dry, grind it in a food processor with about a cup of sugar. Pass this sugar-vanilla combo through a very fine mesh seive. Put all but about 3 Tbs. of sugar into a sealable jar and save for a future use. Put the 3 Tbs. vanilla sugar into the chilled bowl of a mixer along with the very cold (but not frozen) cream. Whip on medium low until frothy, then increase speed to medium high and whip until stiff. Chill until ready to use.

4. Peel and slice the bananas lengthwise and line the pie shell with the banana strips. Be generous. Make two layers. Spoon the custard over the bananas and spread it to the edges. Pipe or spoon the whipped cream over the custard. Top with spun sugar as a garnish. Just kidding. But you can if you like.

Tips & Warnings

• You could use vanilla extract (a few drops) and regular sugar, instead of the vanilla sugar, to make the whipped cream.

• If your custard seems lumpy or curdled, process it in the food processor for a few seconds to smooth it out. The finished pie might not be quite as firm.

• Chill the pie well before you slice it.

• Don't think you can use Cool Whip or Reddi Whip to top this pie. You might as well put ketchup on filet mignon.

• Whisk the custard very vigorously while it is returning to a boil, lest it scorch.