*  Exported from  MasterCook  *

                             Banana Cream Pie

Recipe By     : Bakers' Dozen (Nick Malgieri) Show #1A16
Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Pies

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
                        Flaky pie dough -- for 1 crust
                        Filling:
   2 1/2  c             Milk
     2/3  c             Sugar
   1      pn            Salt
     1/3  c             Corn starch
   3      lg            Eggs
   4      tb            Unsalted butter -- softened
   2      ts            Vanilla extract
   2      lg            Bananas -- sliced
                        Topping:
   1      c             Heavy cream
   2      tb            Sugar
   1      ts            Vanilla extract

Prepare and bake the crust.

Filling:

Combine 2 cups milk, sugar, and salt in a nonreactive saucepan; whisk
once to mix and bring to a boil over low heat. Place remaining
1/2 cup milk in a mixing bowl and whisk in corn starch, then eggs.
Return milk and sugar mixture to a boil over low heat then whisk
about 1/3rd of it into the egg mixture. Return milk and sugar mixture
to a boil once more and whisk in the egg mixture, whisking constantly
until the filling thickens and comes to a boil. Allow to boil,
whisking constantly, for about 30 seconds. Remove from heat, whisk in
butter and vanilla; pour into a nonreactive bowl. Press plastic wrap
against the surface of the filling and chill until it is
approximately 75 F. Fold the bananas into the cooled filling and
spread it evenly in the cooled crust.

To finish the pie, whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla until it
holds a firm peak. Use a hand mixer on medium speed or a heavy duty
mixer fitted with the whisk. Spread the cream over the filling,
making sure it touches the edges of the crust all around.

Coconut Cream Pie:

For the 2/3 cup sugar in the filling substitute 1/3 cup sugar.
Substitute 1/2 cup coconut cream, such as Coco Lopez, for the 1/2 cup
milk with which the corn starch is mixed. After the filling has
cooled, fold in 1/2 cup toasted sweetened coconut. After covering the
pie with the whipped cream. You may add up to 1/4 cup coconut cream
to the cream before whipping it to replace the sugar. Sprinkle the
whipped cream with 1/2 cup toasted sweetened coconut. To toast
coconut, place it on a jelly roll pan on the middle rack of a
preheated 325 F oven for about 15 minutes. Stir often so that the
coconut colors evenly to a light golden brown.


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