Shelly's Recipe

BANANAS FOSTER CREAM PIE

Category: Pies - Cream and Custard

Crust:
2 1/2 cups chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
5 tbsp melted butter

Filling:
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon and ground ginger
1/2 tsp allspice
4 bananas, peeled and sliced

Pastry Cream:
3 cups half and half
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
8 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup dark rum
3 tbsp cornstarch

Grease a 10-inch spring form pan. To prepare crust, in a medium bowl, combine cookie crumbs, sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Stir in melted butter. Press mixture into prepared pan on the bottom and up the sides of the pan about 2 1/2 inches and place it in the refrigerator to chill.

To prepare the filling, put the butter and brown sugar in a large saute pan over high heat and heat until bubbling, about 2 minutes. Add cinnamon, ginger, allspice and bananas and saute until tender, about 3 minutes.

Remove the crust from the refrigerator and spoon the bananas evenly over the bottom of the crust. Set aside.

To prepare the pastry cream, put the half and half in a saucepan with the vanilla bean and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, remove and discard vanilla bean. In a medium bowl, place egg yolks, sugar, dark rum and cornstarch and whisk together. Whisk about 1 cup of half and half mixture into the egg mixture to temper it. Add the egg mixture to the remaining half and half and place the pan over medium heat, stirring frequently until thick, 3-5 minutes. Pour the mixture over the roasted bananas in the crust and refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until well chilled. To serve, carefully remove the outer ring of the pan, cut the pie into slices, and top each slice with whipped cream and several mint leaves.