Banana Cream Pie with Caramel Drizzles and Chocolate Sauce

There’re a few secrets necessary to successfully making this pie (which, incidentally, has been on the menu at Emeril’s since Day One, and continues to be one of our most requested desserts). First, the bananas, while ripe, need to be firm, so that they hold their shape when pushed into place. Second, the pastry cream needs to be very stiff, so that when sliced, the pie will not crumble or slide. It’s also important to cover the bananas completely with the last layer of pastry cream to prevent them from discolouring. And while at Emeril’s they pipe the whipped cream over each individual slice before serving, feel free to spread your whipped cream over the whole pie, if you’d prefer.

Ingredients

4 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 cups plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise and seeds scraped

3 large egg yolks

2 large eggs

1/2 cup corn-starch

Graham Cracker Crust, recipe follows

3 pounds (about 9) firm but ripe bananas, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Caramel Sauce, recipe follows

Chocolate Sauce, recipe follows

Shaved chocolate, for garnish

Confectioner’s sugar, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine 2 cups of the cream, the milk, 1/2 cup of the sugar, the vanilla bean, and the vanilla seeds in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil, whisking to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat.

Combine the egg yolks, eggs, corn-starch, and 1 cup of the sugar in a medium bowl, and whisk pale yellow in colour. Set aside.

Whisk 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks. Gradually add the egg mixture to the hot cream, whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly with a large wooden spoon to cook out the corn-starch, until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. (The mixture may separate slightly. If so, remove from the heat and beat with an electric mixer until thick and smooth.) Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator for about 4 hours.

To assemble, spread 1/2 cup of the custard over the bottom of the prepared crust, smoothing with the back of a large spoon or rubber spatula. Arrange enough banana slices (not quite one-third) in a tight, tiled pattern over the custard, pressing down with your hands to pack them firmly.

Repeat to build a second layer, using 3/4 cup of the custard and enough bananas to cover, smoothing down the layer evenly.

For the third layer, spread 3/4 cup of custard over the bananas and top with the remaining bananas, starting 1-inch from the outer edge and working toward the centre. Spread 1 cup of custard evenly over the bananas to prevent discoloration. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.

In a medium bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar and the vanilla extract and whip until stiff peaks form.

Remove the pie from the refrigerator. With a sharp knife dipped in hot water, cut the pie into 10 equal slices. Transfer the slices to dessert plates. Fill a pastry bag with the whipped cream and pipe onto each slice. (Alternately, spread the whipped cream evenly over the pie before cutting.)

Drizzle each slice with the caramel sauce and chocolate sauce, sprinkle with the chocolate shavings and confectioners’ sugar, and serve.

Graham Cracker Crust

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

- Makes one 9-inch crust crust

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar in a medium bowl and mix well. Add the butter and mix well. Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan. Top with an aluminium pie tin and with a circular motion, press the crust tightly into the pan. Bake until browned, about 25 minutes. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup whole milk

- Makes a generous 3/4 cup

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Let boil without stirring until the mixture becomes a deep amber colour, 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely so it doesn’t burn. Add the cream, whisk to combine, and remove from the heat. Add the milk, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature before serving with the pie. (The sauce will thicken as it cools.)

Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 cup half-and-half

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/2 pound semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

- Makes 1 1/2 cups

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the half-and-half and butter in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat until it just comes to a boil. Remove from heat immediately.

Place the chocolate and vanilla in a medium, heat-proof bowl. Add the hot half-and-half and let sit for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Serve slightly warm. (The sauce can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for several days, but it must be returned to room temperature before serving.