#153_Banana Caramel Cream Pie

For this dessert I use the graham cracker crust made from scratch.
Click here for the crust recipe.

This is a recycled concept from 2 recipes:
Banana Cream Pie recipe #31, (click here) and the
Banoffee Pie recipe #150 (click here)

For the cream filling,
I used the recipe for the Banana Cream Pie
with a little bit of twist
by adding store-bought caramel topping.
The outcome is a lot better than the
Banoffe Pie and the Banana Cream Pie.

(Option 1)
Using store-bought individual serving graham cracker crusts
such as the picture above is a convenient way to serve
this dessert as you can eliminate a lot of mess.

(Option 2)
or use the store-bought 9-inch graham cracker pie

crusts and slice them into wedges.

Spread half a jar of caramel topping evenly on the crust;
refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
I recommend using Mrs. Richarson's caramel topping,
if you have access to it.
I'm not into brands but I find this is the best kind
as the others are thinner in consistency
and tend to be runny when spread on the pie.

Cream Pie Filling:

1 large (5.1 oz) instant Lemon Pudding mix

1 large box (4 envelopes) Dream Whip

3 cups cold fresh milk
Combine these 3 ingredients in a bowl and whip until thick, but of spreadable consistency.
(If you have a food processor use it. It is the best for the job).

You can slice up some bananas and combine with the cream filling, (optional)

Slice bananas into disks and arrange them on top of the caramel topping.
Spread cream filling on top of the bananas.
Top with cool whip or whipped heavy cream.

Drizzle caramel topping on top

Place the whole pan on a serving platter and unlock the spring lock.

Spring form pan has spring lock on the side so you can get your cakes
or pies out easily without any mess.

Enjoy a slice!

Notes: 1. To prevent the bananas from getting dark, sprinkle some Ever Fresh fruit protector found in the canning section of your grocery store.

2. If you don't have Cool Whip, you can use 1 pint of heavy cream and whip it with 1/2 cup white sugar.

#150_Banoffee Pie

Banoffee Pie is a British dessert
made of bananas, cream and toffee or dulce de leche.

This recipe is from Curtis Stone, a chef from Australia,
who made this dessert

at the Kathie Lee and Hoda Show, click here.
When I made it for Father's Day, click here,
the whipped cream tasted like it needed some sugar,
so I added 1/2 a cup in this recipe.

Ingredients:
Crust

9 ounces graham crackers

1 stick butter, melted

Toffee sauce

1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons water

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

Filling

1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar

5 small bananas (about 1 1/2 pounds total)

To make the crust:

1) Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.

2) Blend the graham crackers in a food processor until they are finely ground.

3) Pour the melted butter over the crumbs and process to blend well. The crumbs should stick together when pressed.

4) Press the crumb mixture over the bottom and 1½ inches up the sides of the springform pan. Refrigerate.

To make the toffee sauce:

1) Place a medium-heavy saucepan over medium heat.

2) Combine the sugar and 3 tablespoons of water in the saucepan.

3) Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and boil without stirring until the color is deep amber, occasionally swirling the pan and brushing down the sides with a pastry brush dipped into water, about 5 minutes.

4) Stir in the condensed milk and butter. Continue stirring for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly.

5) Remove the toffee sauce from the heat and spread 1 cup of the sauce over the prepared crust and refrigerate for about 1 hour or until the caramel is semi-firm.

6) Keep the remaining caramel sauce at room temperature.

Pie Filling:

Using an electric mixer, beat the cream in a large bowl until frothy; add sugar gradually and continue to whip until thick and very soft billowy peaks form.

Very thinly slice 3 of the bananas into discs. Fold the sliced bananas into the softly whipped cream and spoon into the prepared pie crust.

Slice the remaining bananas and arrange them decoratively over the pie.

Rewarm the remaining toffee sauce gently over low heat.

Drizzle some of the sauce decoratively over the pie. If the sauce has thickened too much to drizzle, stir a few tablespoons of milk into the sauce to create a thinner consistency.

Cut the pie into wedges and transfer to plates.

Drizzle each pie wedge with more sauce and serve.

#31_Banana Cream Pie

Calori-fic Dessert!

Forget your calorie counting because this is a calori-fic dessert. I don't know how else to describe it but just that....a calorie-laden dessert and yet it it terrific.

A friend gave me this recipe more than 20 years ago and it has been in the family since then. It is one of a few recipes I never altered or modified because there's no reason to, except for the garnish that I added.

My husband didn't care much for the garnish of shaved chocolate. He said the chocolate takes away the taste of the bananas. Hmmmm, now that I think about it, he did not make sense because his favorite milk shake is chocolate banana. I didn't dispute his criticism then because I actually forgot that he used to order that flavor of milk shake until now that I'm writing about it. He's been on a no-sweet diet since the first of the year until Halloween day when he went nuts over those treats we were giving out. I will not discuss how much candy bars he ate. Well, at least he only had 2 slices of banana cream pie!

Actually, I don't usually garnish it, I just did it today because I want it to look kind of dressed up for presentation and eye appeal. I think though, the bananas and the chocolate blended well together. The chocolate adds texture and color and also flavor to the pie.

The recipe is really simple and easy to make and it only calls for 6 ingredients. It requires no baking, but it is even easier if you use a food processor to mix the pudding as it only takes a minute. If you use a hand mixer to mix it, it takes awhile to get to the spreading consistency.

Here's the recipe:

2 prepared graham cracker pie crusts

1 large (5.1 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix

1 large box (4 envelopes) dream whip

3 cups cold fresh milk

1 (8oz) cool whip or whipped cream, thawed

4-5 bananas, ripe but firm

Procedures:

1. Slice the bananas crosswise and line them up in the prepared pie crusts.

2. In a food processor, combine the vanilla pudding mix and the dream whip. Add 3 cups milk and process until thick,but of spreadable consistency.

3. Spread the pudding over the bananas.

4. Top with cool whip

5. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours before slicing

Note:

1. To prevent the bananas from getting dark, sprinkle some Ever Fresh fruit protector found in the canning section of your grocery store.

2. If you don't have Cool Whip, you can use 1 pint of heavy cream and whip it with 1 cup white sugar.