D wants banana cream pie

Banana Cream Pie  (who doesn't love it?)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 cups of milk
4 eggs
1 tbsp butter (or more)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
baked pie shell
For filling, in medium sauce pan combine sugar and flour.  Gradually stir in milk.  Cook and stir over medium-high heat till mixture is thickened and bubbly.  Reduce heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes more.  Remove from heat.
Separate egg yolks from whites; set whites aside for meringue (If you are going to do meringue, I prefer whipped cream on top of my pie.You could use them to make pavlova the next day.)
Beat yolks lightly with a fork.  Gradually stir about 1 cup of the hot filling into yolks.  I use my electric hand mixer to beat the yolks as well as when I am adding the 1 cup hot filling into the yolks and again when adding it all to sauce pan.  I will often use 3 whole eggs instead of separating them if I don't want egg whites sitting in my fridge for eons.  Using the electric hand mixer will insure that the egg gets beat will enough before and after adding it to the pan. We don't want bits of cooked egg floating around in the pudding.  Perhaps for the first time just use the yolks.  Return all to saucepan; bring to a gentle boil.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.  Remove from heat.  Stir in butter and vanilla.  I let my filling cool, put plastic wrap over it so it does not form a hard layer and put in fridge.  When fairly cool, so as not to melt whipped cream, I whip some cream and fold into the pudding.  Put bananas on bottom of pie shell and cover with pudding mixture.  Cover with plastic wrap again.  When ready to serve, remove plastic wrap and spoon a generous helping of whipped cream on top (the generous is for you D) or put whipped cream on each piece as served.




How about a twist to banana cream pie?

Banana Praline Cream Filling
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup light cream
1 cup milk
3 large egg yolks
1 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp banana extract
2 cups slices ripe bananas (2 large)
baked pie shell

In a medium saucepan, mix the sugars, cornstarch, flour, and salt.  Slowly whisk in the cream and milk until smooth.  Whisk constantly over medium heat for 8 minutes or until mixture boils and thickens.  Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl with an electric beater on high, beat egg yolks until light yellow.  Stir about 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks, then return this mixture into the saucepan.  Stir over low heat for 2 minutes or until thickened (do not let boil).  Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla and banana extract.  Cool for 15 minutes. 
Spoon half of the filling into the baked shell.  Cover with the banana slices, then the remaining filling.  Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on filling.  Refrigerate the pie for at least 3 hours or until set.  Whipped cream again!



While we are on the subject of pies:

Chocolate Silk Pie
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/3 cups cornstarch
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup light cream
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted (microwave choc. in its paper wrapper on high for 1 to 2 minutes until it's glossy and almost melted.  Then scrape into a bowl and stir until it is completely melted.  Or heat choc. in a double boiler over simmering water, stirring until melted.  If choc. gets too hot, or just a drop of water gets into the pan, choc. can clump up into a grainy mess, called seizing.  Rescue it by stirring in a tsp of butter.)
4 large egg yolks
2 tbsp unsalted butter softened
1 tbsp vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, mix the sugar, cornstarch, flour, and salt.  Slowly whisk in the milk and cream until smooth.  Whisk constantly over medium heat for 8 minutes or until the mixture boils and thickens.  Whisk in the melted chocolate.  Remove from the heat.
In a small bowl, with an electric mixer on high, beat the egg yolks until light yellow and thick.  Stir 1 cup of the hot mixture into the egg yolks, then return this mixture to the saucepan.  Cook and stir over low heat for 2 minutes or until thickened (do not let boil). Remove the filling from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla.  Pour the filling into the baked shell.  Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the filling to prevent a skin from forming.  Let stand while you make the meringue, if you want meringue. 


Meringue topping
5 large egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup of sugar
In a medium bowl, with electric mixer on high, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until fluffy.  Gradually beat in the sugar until the meringue stands in glossy soft peaks.  To attach the meringue, lightly score the filling with the prongs of a fork.  Cover the hot filling with the meringue, sealing it well at the edges.  Make peaks with the back of a spoon as you go.  Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until browned.  Cool for 15 minutes. To set, chill for at least 4 hours.  Store in the refrigerator.  Or use whipped cream....
It's delicious!