Fantastic Banana Cream Pie With Banana Graham Crust - cooking recipe

Ingredients

CRUST
2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup mashed banana
1/4 cup butter, melted
FILLING
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 cups full-fat milk
4 large egg yolks
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (optional but good to add in)
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon banana extract (optional)
4 ripe bananas, peeled and cut into about 1/4-inch slices (could use 5 small bananas)

Preparation

To make the crust: set oven to 350\u00b0F.
For the crust; in a bowl stir together the cracker crumbs, sugar and mashed banana.
Add in the melted butter and stir to moisten.
Press into bottom and up sides of a deep-dish 10-inch glass pie dish.
Refrigerate for about 40 minutes until firm.
Remove from the fridge and bake for about 15 minutes; cool completely.
For the filling: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan whisk together cornstarch, sugar and salt to blend.
Whisk in the whipping cream and whole full-fat milk, then egg yolks.
Scrape the vanilla bean seeds and then add them in with the whole bean (if using).
Bring to medium-high heat and whisk until the custard thickens and simmers (about 6 minutes).
Remove from heat. Whisk in butter, vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon banana extract (if using).
Transfer the cooked thickened custard to a bowl; cool completely for about 1 hour, stirring or whisking occasionally.
When ready to fill the pie crust, spread 1 cup of the custard over the bottom of prepared crust.
Top with half of the bananas (about 2-1/2 bananas).
Then top with the remaining custard covering the bananas totally.
Repeat layering with remaining bananas and then remaining custard on the top.
Chill for a minimum of 8 hours (overnight is even better), or until the filling is completely set.
Cut pie into wedges and top with a dollop of whipped cream if desired.