Butterscotch Banana Cream Pie
Crust:
1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
½ tsp fine sea salt
8 Tbsp (one stick) unsalted butter, melted
Butterscotch Pastry Cream:
2 cups whole milk
6 large egg yolks
½ cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
½ tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp vanilla paste
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into three pieces.
To finish:
1 cup almond slices, toasted and cooled
2 ripe bananas
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp vanilla paste
1) For the crust: In a medium bowl, whisk together the crumbs, sugar and salt. Melt the 8 Tbsp butter and use 1 Tbsp to grease a 9” pie pan. Pour the remaining butter over the crumb mixture and toss with your fingers until the crumbs absorb all the butter. Press the crumbs evenly into the pan and place the pan in the freezer while you preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Bake the crust for 12-15 minutes and set on a rack to cool completely.
2) Toast the almond slices and set aside.
3) For the butterscotch pastry cream: Warm the milk in a medium saucepan to a simmer. In another medium bowl, whisk together the six yolks, brown sugar, cornstarch and salt. Whisking constantly, slowly stream in the warm milk to heat the egg mixture. Return the entire mixture to the saucepan and bring to a boil – whisking constantly! Boil and whisk the mixture for 1-2 minutes to ensure the cornstarch and eggs are cooked. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla and nutmeg and then the butter until fully incorporated.
4) In the cooled crust, create a bottom single layer of the toasted almonds (save a few for garnish). Then slice the two bananas over the almonds. Spoon the pastry cream over the bananas. Cover the custard with plastic wrap and chill for at least three hours.
5) When ready to serve, whisk the heavy cream, confectioner’s sugar and vanilla to medium peaks. Spoon over the chilled custard and sprinkle the top with the remaining almond slices. Slice and serve.
