Banana Cream Pie

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter and Passover this past weekend.  I know I did.  Instead traveling from one house to another this year, Brian and I decided to stay home, paint our apartment and eat with our good friends/neighbors The Kochs.  We enjoyed each others company while we inhaled traditional homemade Easter bread, ham, kielbasi, scalloped potatoes, green beans, pickled beets with horseradish, and Banana Cream Pie. 

Ed and Katie cooked and baked everything except for the potatoes and pie.  Those were my job.  Both of the recipes I found in my Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.  It always comes in handy.  I HIGHLY recommend the Scalloped Potatoes.  They were very easy to put together, and the aroma and taste made you want to eat the entire dish (that serves 10).  I would blog about the potatoes, but I've decided to share with you the recipe for Banana Cream Pie.  

Now I have to say I have never made a cream pie before, so this was an adventure.  Here is what I needed:

A recipe for 1 pie crust (see one here)

3/4 cup of granulated sugar

1/4 cup of corn starch

2 1/2 cups of milk (you can also use cream or half & half)

4 eggs separated (keep both the yolks and whites)

1 Tablespoon of room temperature butter

1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla

and
2-3 Bananas

For the Merang topping:

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla
and
4 egg whites from the separated eggs

-Now, first things first.  I made my pie crust.  It's the same recipe I used to make the Lemon Tarts.  It is really simple and doesn't require any pre-filling baking.  

-Once that is complete, separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and keep both.  When you separate, place the yolks into a heat resistant bowl.  It will help in future steps.  

-Then start on the filling.  Pour the sugar and corn starch into a 2 quart sauce pan and mix together.  Turn the stove on to a medium high heat and add the milk slowly while stirring.  If you are having difficulty stirring with a spoon switch over to a whisk.  I found this much more helpful.

-Stirring occasionally, allow the mixture to come to a boil and thicken.  Once it has thickened, let the mixture cook for 2 minutes then take the saucepan off of the heat.  

-Take the 4 egg yolks and lightly beat them with a fork.  Pour 1 cup of the thickened mixture into the yolks and beat together.  Pour the combined egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan.

-Put the saucepan back on medium heat until it is slightly boiling.  You DON'T want your mixture to come to a rapid boil. Once it is slightly boiling, lower the heat.

-After 2 minutes take the saucepan off of the heat and add the butter and vanilla.  Stir and cover with a lid.

-Now, cut the bananas into slices (no more than 1 cm thick).  Place the slices on the bottom of the pie dish.  My lovely assistant Brian made 2 layers of banana slices, but it's up to you how many layers you would like.  

-Once your banana slices are in place, pour the filling into the dish.  

-Now comes the merang topping.  Using either a stand mixer or hand mixer, whisk the egg whites, vanilla and cream of tartar together on a high speed until they form soft peaks.

-Once you have your soft peaks turn your mixer back on (it's OK to turn it off once in a while to check on your peaks) and slowly add, 1 Tablespoon at a time, 1/2 cup of granulated sugar.  The time between the soft peaks and stiff peaks should be about 5 minutes.  If you need more time that is fine.  


*Check out these videos on how to create soft and stiff peaks!

-Pour the merang on top of the cream filling and carefully spread the merang to the edge of the pie.  The merang will shrink in the oven.  

-Place the pie on a baking sheet in case of spillage, and bake in a 325 degree oven for 30 minutes.

-When done allow the pie to cool for 1 hour then refrigerate 2-3 hours before eating.

When you're done you should have a Banana Cream masterpiece!

Enjoy! Have you ever created a Banana Cream Pie?  If so, how did you do it?