Banana Cream Piecooks Country Food

BANANA CREAM PIE

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425°., Line crust with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake on a lower oven rack until edge is golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake until bottom is golden brown, 3-6 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack., Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine sugar, flour and salt; stir in milk and mix well. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount into egg yolks; return all to saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes; remove from the heat. Add butter and vanilla; cool slightly. , Slice bananas into crust; pour filling over top. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Store in the refrigerator. If desired, garnish with whipped cream and additional sliced bananas.

DECONSTRUCTED BANANA CREAM PIE & BANANAS FOSTER VARIATION

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• PIE CRUST: Make your favorite pie crust, roll dough as you normally would but into a rectangular shape, cut six 3 1/2" - 4" squares and at least 18 - 1 1/3" squares (sizes are approximate they are prettier if you have a crimped cutter for the small squares I have a cookie cutter this size). Place squares on baking sheet, sprinkle the small squares with a little cinnamon sugar, bake about 10 minutes or until golden on the bottom.
• PASTRY CREAM: Make filling according to the directions on the box for pie filling, using half and half in place of milk, add vanilla; stir, chill until ready to serve.
• TOPPING: Whip cream with powdered sugar and vanilla, adjust amounts to your taste,chill.
• PUTTING IT TOGETHER: Place a large pastry square on each dessert plate, spoon on some pudding mix - if using all six at once divide evenly.
• Place about 6 banana slices on top of each square, top with whipping cream.
• Place 3 small pastry squares into the whipping cream, on point. TA DAH! Fast and beautiful!
• •BANANAS FOSTER VARIATION: Make pie crust, filling, and whipping cream as above.
• Chop some pecans.
• Prepare the bananas from Recipe #191028, use 3 Bananas and cut each banana in half length wise first, then each half into 3 pieces.
• And make Recipe #165874.
• PUTTING IT TOGETHER: As before - pastry square, then pastry cream, then spoon bananas with some of their sauce on top of the filling, then whipping cream, sprinkle with chopped pecans and drizzle the whole thing with Praline Sauce.
• Serve with coffee.

BANANA CREAM PIE(COOK'S COUNTRY)

Steps:

• 1. Peel 2 bananas and slice into 1/2-inch-thick pieces. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sliced bananas and cook until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add half-and-half, bring to boil, and boil for 30 seconds. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 40 minutes.
• 2. Whisk granulated sugar, egg yolks, and salt together in large bowl until smooth. Whisk in cornstarch. Strain cooled half-and-half mixture through fine-mesh strainer into yolk mixture-do not press on bananas-and whisk until incorporated; discard cooked bananas.
• 3. Transfer mixture to clean medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened to consistency of warm pudding (180 degrees), 4 to 6 minutes. Remove pan from heat; whisk in remaining 3 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Transfer pastry cream to bowl, press greased parchment paper directly against surface, and let cool for about 1 hour.
• 4. Meanwhile, roll pie dough into 12-inch round on lightly floured counter. Transfer to 9-inch pie plate, fold edge of dough under itself so edge of fold is flush with outer rim of plate, and flute edges. Refrigerate for 40 minutes, then freeze for 20 minutes. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.
• 5. Line chilled pie shell with 12-inch square of aluminum foil, folding foil over edges of dough. Fill with pie weights and bake for 20 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights, rotate plate, and continue baking until crust is golden brown, 7 to 11 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
• 6. Peel and slice remaining 3 bananas 1/4 inch thick and toss with orange juice. Whisk pastry cream briefly, then spread half over bottom of pie shell. Arrange sliced bananas on pastry cream. Top with remaining pastry cream.
• 7. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, heavy cream, confectioners' sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until stiff peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes. Spread whipped cream evenly over top of pie. Refrigerate until set, at least 5 hours and up to 24 hours. Serve.

CHOCOLATE TOPPED BANANA CREAM PIE

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch & salt, then gradually add milk & cream, stirring until smooth.
• Cook & stir over medium-high heat until thickened & bubbly, about 2 minutes.
• While stirring the egg yolks, add a small amount of this hot mixture to the egg yolks & continue to stir to mix well, before returning the egg mixture to the saucepan.
• Bring to a gentle boil & cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, before removing from the heat & adding in the butter & vanilla while stirring to mix well.
• Pour half of this mixture into the pastry shell, then cover & refrigerate.
• Add the chocolate to the remaining custard, mixing well, then cover & refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Arrange the sliced bananas over the filling, then carefully spoon the chocolate custard over the bananas.
• Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

ITALIAN CREAM CAKE(COOK'S COUNTRY)

Steps:

• For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, then flour pans. Process coconut in food processor until finely ground, about 1 minute. Combine coconut, buttermilk, and vanilla in 2-cup liquid measuring cup and let sit until coconut is slightly softened, about 10 minutes; reserve.
• Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in bowl. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter, shortening, and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of reserved coconut-buttermilk mixture, scraping down bowl as needed. Add ¾ cup pecans and give batter final stir by hand.
• Scrape equal amounts of batter into prepared pans and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 28 to 32 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, discarding parchment, and cool completely, about 2 hours. (Cooled cakes can be wrapped with plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.).
• For the frosting: Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, mix butter and sugar on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cream of coconut, vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add cream cheese, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated, about 1 minute. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• When cakes are cooled, spread 1½ cups frosting over 1 cake round. Top with second cake round and spread remaining frosting evenly over top and sides of cake. Press remaining pecans onto sides of cake. Serve. (Cake can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.).