This traditional banana cream pie recipe incorporates a creamy vanilla pudding filling layered with slices of contemporary bananas in a flaky do-it-yourself crust, all topped with whipped cream. There’s nice banana taste in each chew and, regardless of being made fully from scratch, it’s simple to make!
I actually love all banana desserts and just lately determined to revisit my banana cream pie recipe to see the way it could possibly be improved. I performed round with filling choices, trialing various quantities of cornstarch, utilizing all eggs or all egg yolks, and even the milk used. That experimenting led to each this improved banana cream pie recipe and my new banana pudding pie (coming quickly!).
One subject that usually happens in cream pies like this one, chocolate cream pie, and coconut cream pie, is that the filling is just too comfortable to carry its form when sliced. This pie makes use of a mixture of cornstarch and eggs to thicken it. I personally like the mixture of egg and egg yolks, slightly than all entire eggs, as a result of I believe it has a extra creamy, much less gelatin-like, texture. Then you could have the buttery, flaky crust and two layers of contemporary banana slices, so you actually get that banana taste in each chew. It’s fairly excellent, if I do say so myself!
Why This Is The Finest Banana Cream Pie Recipe
- Comprised of scratch. Each a part of this banana cream pie is constituted of scratch, together with the pie crust and the whipped cream topping. I believe the improved taste and texture are rewards for the additional effort.
- Thick, creamy filling. I performed round with totally different choices for the filling earlier than getting it good. With simply entire eggs, the filling was a bit of firmer, however with the mixture, it holds its form and is a bit of richer and creamier, which I really like. It’s the very best of each worlds!
- A number of contemporary bananas. Considered one of my greatest annoyances is when banana cream pie doesn’t truly style like banana. To ensure this pie has banana in each chew, I used 4 massive bananas to make two layers of contemporary banana slices.
Key Substances
Let’s check out the elements wanted to make every a part of this pie, together with the do-it-yourself crust and whipped cream. The total measurements could be discovered within the recipe card on the finish of the put up.
Crust
- Flour – I like to recommend weighing the flour for correct measuring. Nobody desires a dry crust! In the event you don’t have a meals scale, the spoon and degree approach is greatest, as described in my How To Correctly Measure Flour put up.
- Salt – So as to add a little bit of taste to the crust.
- Butter – I all the time use unsalted butter. In the event you occur to make use of salted butter, skip the salt. It must be chilly and lower into ½ inch cubes.
- Ice water – It is very important use ice water, not simply cool water. The objective is to maintain the butter as chilly as doable, to make sure a flaky crust.
Filling
- Eggs – I take advantage of a mixture of eggs and additional egg yolks to get the precise pie texture that’s each creamy and agency. You’ll want to use massive eggs at room temperature.
- Granulated sugar
- Cornstarch – Cornstarch additionally helps to thicken the filling to get the right texture.
- Salt – A pinch of salt is required to boost and stability the opposite flavors.
- Entire milk – Follow entire milk to maintain the filling thick and creamy.
- Vanilla extract – Since we’re utilizing an entire tablespoon, I like to recommend actual vanilla as an alternative of imitation vanilla if doable.
- Butter – Identical to within the pie crust, the butter used within the filling must be chilly and cubed.
- Bananas – The bananas must be ripe however nonetheless agency and with none brown spots.
Whipped Cream
- Heavy whipping cream – Hold the heavy cream within the fridge till it’s wanted. If it’s too heat, it is not going to whip into stiff peaks.
- Powdered sugar – Sweetens and stabilizes the whipped cream. I received’t ever wilt with a bit of powdered sugar in it.
- Vanilla extract
How To Make Banana Cream Pie
This pie is surprisingly simple to make, however it does require a while and planning, because the crust itself wants to sit back and so does the filling. The printable directions could be discovered within the recipe card under.
Make the crust
Pulse 3/4 cup flour and salt 2-3 instances. Add the butter and course of for about 15 seconds till a crumbly dough types.
Add the remaining flour. Pulse till evenly distributed and the small items look sandy.
Switch the combination to a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of ice water. Gently fold along with a spatula till massive clusters type. If wanted, add 1-2 extra tablespoons of water.
Work the dough right into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for no less than an hour.
Roll the pie crust between two sheets of parchment paper. Drape over the pie plate to form it. Dock the crust with a fork. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
Press parchment paper flush towards the crust. Add pie weights. Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes, then take away the parchment paper and weights. Bake for one more 5-10 minutes.
Make the filling
Whisk the eggs and egg yolks till clean.
Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan till there are not any lumps.
Whisk within the milk. Warmth over medium, whisking continually, till it begins to simmer.
Mood the eggs by pouring a small quantity of milk into the eggs whereas whisking continually. Add a bit of extra sizzling liquid to the eggs, then pour the egg combination into the saucepan.
Proceed whisking till the combination thickens and begins to boil. Boil for one minute.
Take away from warmth. Whisk within the vanilla and butter. Stir till fully clean.
Slice the bananas 1/4 inch thick. Add half of them to the crust.
Pour half of the filling evenly over the banana slices. Add the remaining banana slices then end with the remainder of the filling.
Place plastic wrap immediately on prime of the pie. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours, till fully cool and agency.
Whip the elements for the whipped cream on excessive velocity till stiff peaks type. Pipe the whipped cream on prime of the pie. Garnish with extra banana slices, if desired.
Oh No! Why Is My Pie Filling Runny?
- Low-fat milk was used. I all the time suggest sticking with entire milk to make the vanilla pudding as a result of the fats content material helps agency up the filling. Low-fat milk is far thinner to begin with and received’t thicken up with the filling as a lot. It’s value going to the shop to purchase some should you usually have low-fat milk available.
- There wasn’t sufficient cornstarch. This recipe makes use of 6 tablespoons of cornstarch, which appears like loads however it’s the first ingredient that thickens the filling (together with the egg). Mis-measuring the cornstarch and never including sufficient can lead to the filling not getting as agency.
- The filling isn’t cooked sufficient (or was over cooked). As soon as the pudding begins to thicken and involves a boil, let it boil for a full minute to proceed thickening. It must be a bit thicker than the pudding you’d usually get pleasure from from a bowl. That stated, you don’t need to over prepare dinner it both. Boiling for longer than a minute or so could cause the other to occur – the cornstarch will break down and your pie received’t thicken correctly.
- The pie wasn’t chilled sufficient. If the pie hasn’t totally set, the filling can be very comfortable. It actually does want a full 4-6 hours to set. Longer is best, so this can be a nice pie to make prematurely.
Ideas for the Finest Pie
Now that we’ve accomplished some troubleshooting for a runny filling, let’s speak about another ideas for making the very best banana cream pie.
- Chill the pie crust. The pie crust must be refrigerated at two totally different factors within the course of. Whereas it could be tempting to skip it, I don’t suggest it. The dough must be chilly when it’s baked with little items of butter scattered all through to get that excellent flaky texture. See my full put up on all-butter pie crust for extra.
- Blind bake the crust. The banana filling is ready on the stovetop and never baked, so the pie crust must be fully baked and cooled first. In the event you don’t have pie weights, rice or dried beans work completely. See extra ideas in my How To Blind Bake a Pie Crust put up.
- Mood the eggs. To keep away from ending up with scrambled eggs, we mood the eggs by including a small quantity of milk whereas whisking after which a bit of bit extra, earlier than including the eggs to the opposite elements. Whisking your entire time can also be vital to keep away from the eggs cooking as scrambled eggs.
- Press the plastic onto the pudding. Earlier than refrigerating the pie to set, place the plastic wrap immediately on prime of the pie. This may stop a movie from forming on prime.
- Use chilly heavy whipping cream. Heat heavy whipping cream is not going to whip up correctly to type stiff peaks. Hold the heavy cream within the fridge till you’re prepared to begin. For extra ideas, see my full do-it-yourself whipped cream put up.
Correct Storage
Banana cream pie lasts for 3-4 days within the fridge. I like to recommend retaining it in an hermetic container, like a cake provider, or tightly lined with two layers of plastic wrap. You should use toothpicks to maintain the plastic wrap off the whipped cream.
Watch How To Make Banana Cream Pie
In the event you’d wish to view the unique recipe, you may obtain that PDF right here.
Banana Cream Pie
This traditional banana cream pie recipe incorporates a creamy vanilla pudding filling layered with slices of contemporary bananas in a flaky do-it-yourself crust and topped with whipped cream. There’s nice banana taste in each chew and, regardless of being made fully from scratch, it’s simple to make!
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Make the crust
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NOTE: I make the crust with a meals processor as a result of it’s faster and simpler, however it’s also possible to do it by hand by including the cubed butter to the entire flour and salt and chopping the butter into the flour till it’s all mixed and the biggest items of butter remaining are concerning the measurement of peas. Then add the water and proceed with the remainder of the directions.
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Add 3/4 cup (98g) of flour and salt to a meals processor and pulse collectively 2 to three instances.
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Scatter the cubed butter over the flour and course of till a crumbly dough types, about 15 seconds. The flour ought to all be coated – not one of the flour must be dry.
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Add the remaining 1/2 cup (65g) of flour and pulse a number of instances till every little thing is evenly distributed. The doughy items ought to break up and it ought to look sandy. There shouldn’t be a bunch of huge items remaining. Just a few are positive, however it must be largely evenly distributed.
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Transfer the combination to a medium mixing bowl and add 2 tablespoons of the ice water. Begin with 2 tablespoons and add from there. Utilizing a rubber spatula, gently fold every little thing collectively. The crumbs ought to start to type bigger clusters. In the event you pinch a number of the dough and it holds collectively properly, it’s prepared. If the dough falls aside, add 1-2 extra tablespoons of water and proceed to press till dough comes collectively.
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Work simply sufficient for it to come back collectively, then form right into a disc. Wrap disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for no less than an hour or as much as 2 days.
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When able to bake the crust, place the pie crust onto a chunk of parchment paper. Cowl the crust with one other piece of parchment paper and roll it out with a rolling pin.
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Peel one piece of the parchment paper off and use the opposite piece of parchment to carry the pie crust and drape it over a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Fastidiously peel off the second piece of parchment paper, then form your pie crust. “Dock” the crust by pricking the crust with a fork to permit steam to flee evenly. This helps the crust not bubble up and prepare dinner erratically.
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Refrigerate the crust for 2-3 hours or freeze for about 20 minutes You need to be certain the crust may be very chilly.
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Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and line the pie crust with parchment paper. Make certain the parchment paper presses all the way in which towards the crust in order that it’s flush. Fill the pie crust with pie weights, dry rice or beans.
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Bake for 20-25 minutes, or till the crust begins to brown on the sides. Take away the parchment paper and pie weights and bake for one more 5-10 minutes, or till calmly golden brown. Take away from the oven and permit to chill fully. If you could velocity up cooling, you may place it within the fridge.
Make the filling
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When the crust has cooled, slice the bananas about ¼ inch thick and add half of them to the underside of the crust. Put aside.
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Add the eggs and egg yolks to a medium sized bowl, whisk collectively till clean, then put aside.
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Add the sugar, cornstarch and salt to a medium saucepan and whisk collectively till effectively mixed and no lumps stay.
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Add the milk and whisk effectively to mix. Warmth combination over medium warmth, whisking continually.
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As soon as the milk combination beings to simmer, pour a bit of of the milk combination into the eggs whereas whisking continually, to mood the eggs. Add a bit of extra of the recent liquid into the eggs, then pour the egg combination again into the saucepan.
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Whisk continually till the combination begins to thicken and involves a boil. Enable to boil for 1 minute, then take away from warmth and whisk within the vanilla extract and butter. Stir till fully clean and effectively mixed.
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Instantly add half of the filling on prime of the sliced bananas added to the crust earlier and unfold evenly. Add one other layer of banana slices, then prime with the remaining filling and unfold evenly.
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Press a chunk of plastic wrap immediately on prime of the pie and refrigerate about 4–6 hours or till the pie is about.
Add topping and serve
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When the pie is totally cool and agency, take away the plastic wrap from the pie.
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Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract for the whipped cream to a big mixer bowl and whip on excessive velocity till stiff peaks type.
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Pipe the whipped cream onto the highest of the pie (I used Ateco tip 844), then garnish with banana slices, if desired. Serve.
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Retailer leftover pie well-covered within the fridge. Finest if eaten inside 3-4 days.
Energy: 626kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 9gFats: 35gSaturated Fats: 21gPolyunsaturated Fats: 2gMonounsaturated Fats: 9gTrans Fats: 1gLdl cholesterol: 183mgSodium: 356mgPotassium: 374mgFiber: 2gSugar: 46gVitamin A: 1312IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 156mgIron: 1mg
The diet details supplied are calculated utilizing a third-party instrument and are estimates solely. Precise dietary content material might differ primarily based on the elements and types you employ, in addition to portion sizes. For correct outcomes, please seek the advice of a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
