Shelly's Recipe

BANANA PUDDING PIE

Category: Pies - Cream and Custard

1 (12-oz) box vanilla wafers, divided
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 large bananas, sliced
2 tsps lemon juice

Vanilla Cream Filling (see recipe below)
4 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Set aside 30 vanilla wafers. Pulse remaining vanilla wafers in a food processor until coarsely crushed.

In a bowl, stir together crushed vanilla wafers and butter until blended. Firmly press on bottom, up sides, and onto the lip of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove and let cool completely, about 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine banana slices with lemon juice. Arrange slices evenly on the bottom of the cooled crust.

Prepare vanilla cream filling, and spread half of the hot filling over bananas. Top with 20 vanilla wafers and spread remaining hot filling over vanilla wafers.

In a clean mixing bowl, beat egg whites at high speed until foamy. Add sugar, one tbsp at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves. Spread meringue evenly over hot filling, sealing the edges. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven, and allow to cool 1 hour. Coarsely crush remaining 10 vanilla wafers, and sprinkle over top of pie. Chill for 4 hours.

Vanilla Cream Filling:
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
2 large eggs
4 egg yolks
2 cups milk
2 tsp creme de banana
2 tsp vanilla extract

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk together sugar, flour, eggs, yolks and milk over a medium-low heat. Whisk constantly until it reaches the thickness of chilled pudding, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and creme de banana. Use immediately.