Tuesday, June 7, 2022

Banoffee Pie

Recipe for pie made with fresh bananas, dulce de leche, whipped cream and chocolate on a graham cracker base.

If you know me, or if you pay weirdly close attention to my blog (tell me if you do because I love you!) then you know that banana cream is my favorite pie and has been all my life. Banoffee pie (a combo word of banana and toffee) is kind of the British version of it. I'd heard of it, both in England and at home in the U.S. but didn't actually taste it until a few years ago. After all, nothing could be better than my beloved original, right?

Recipe for pie made with fresh bananas, dulce de leche, whipped cream and chocolate on a graham cracker base.

My first time eating it was at a local British style restaurant and I honestly felt that their version had too much chocolate and not enough banana. But I can just do what I always do when I'm not happy with a restaurant's version of something. I make it myself.

Recipe for pie made with fresh bananas, dulce de leche, whipped cream and chocolate on a graham cracker base.

The main difference between the two pies is that the American version has a pastry cream filling and the British version a dulce de leche filling. You can, of course, just use caramel but it doesn't have the same depth of flavor. Caramel is made with sugar and heavy cream whereas dulce de leche is made by boiling sweetened condensed milk. The higher quantity of sugar in the sweetened condensed milk causes it to have a darker color and deeper flavor when cooked. It's time consuming to make but not hard. It's just boiling the can in water for 3 hours and making sure the water level stays above the can. Easy enough.

The British are also more likely to use digestive biscuits instead of graham crackers for the crust and here is where I'm full on team British. I love digestive biscuits and usually have them around. Think of them as whole wheat shortbread. You can find them online or in the international aisle of your grocery store and I highly recommend trying them. The rest of the ingredients are pretty much fresh bananas and fresh whipped cream with a little bit of shaved chocolate over top.

Don't ask me to choose a favorite. I can't. Enjoy!

Yield: 8 Servings
Author: Anita Schecter
Recipe for pie made with fresh bananas, dulce de leche, whipped cream and chocolate on a graham cracker base.

Banoffee Pie

Prep time: 25 MinCook time: 3 HourInactive time: 4 HourTotal time: 7 H & 25 M
Recipe for pie made with fresh bananas, dulce de leche, whipped cream and chocolate on a graham cracker base.

Ingredients

For the Crust:
  • 1 1/2 Cups graham cracker crumbs *
  • 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/4 Teaspoon salt
  • * For a more "English" flavor, use digestive biscuits instead of graham crackers.
For the Filling:
  • 1 Can (14 oz. ) sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 Bananas, peeled and sliced
For the Topping:
  • 2 Cups heavy cream
  • 1/4 Cup powdered sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 oz. Chocolate, shaved

Instructions

  1. To make the crust, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Stir together the melted butter, sugar and salt. Mix in the crushed graham crackers and press into an 8" tart pan with a removable bottom. Note that, if using digestive biscuits, eliminate the sugar since they are already sweetened.
  3. Bake for 15 minutes and then allow to cool completely.
  4. To make the dulce de leche, remove the label from you can of sweetened condensed milk. Submerge it, on its side, in a pot of boiling water and make sure it covers the can completely. Cook for 3 hours, adding water as needed to make sure its level is above the can at all times. Remove the can from the water and allow to cool completely before opening.
  5. To make the whipped cream, add the heavy cream, powdered sugar and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until the mixture thickens, between 5 and 7 minutes.
  6. To assemble the pie, pour the dulce de leche into the baked crust and spread out evenly. Top with the sliced bananas and then the whipped cream. Sprinkle the shaved chocolate over the top and serve. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Monday, May 2, 2022

Meyer Lemon Loaf Cake

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I am a sucker for interesting citrus fruit so, when I see it, I need to try it. That's how I first experienced Meyer lemons, years ago and they immediately became a favorite ingredient.

Wednesday, April 6, 2022

Cadbury Crème Egg Cocktail

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I know I'm not alone in my obsession with Cadbury Crème Eggs, right? While I can resist most Easter candy, these eggs have had a hold on me forever. I watch the store shelves as spring arrives, waiting for the first batch to show up. And we won't discuss how many I've bought and eaten.

Monday, April 4, 2022

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For years I would say that carrot cake was not my first choice for dessert. I never ordered it at a restaurant and would be disappointed if that was the only sweet treat on a table. Clearly I just never had good carrot cake. Until now.

Wednesday, March 16, 2022

Chocolate Chip Tahini Swirl Cookies

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Thursday, March 10, 2022

Smoked Gouda and Thyme Soda Bread

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I decided a while back that I loved soda bread way too much to wait for St. Patrick's Day to make it. Because it has no yeast and requires no kneading or rising time, it's as fast and easy to make as a sweet quick bread.

Thursday, February 24, 2022

Pink Grapefruit Bourbon Crusta

Bourbon cocktail flavored with maraschino cherry liqueur, pink grapefruit juice, orange liqueur and bitters. Served in a sugar encrusted glass.

There's so much I love about this drink. The pink grapefruit that I can never resist. The thick sugared rim of the glass. The well balanced flavors of this variation on an old cocktail.

Thursday, February 17, 2022

Bacon and Cheddar Potato Soup

Recipe for a creamy soup made with potatoes, chicken stock, milk and cheddar cheese, served with crispy bacon.

Spring may be just a few weeks away but I'm still bundled up in layers and living that all soup, all the time lifestyle. I actually love soup year round but diving into a hot bowl of it when I get home from the cold is just pure comfort.

Thursday, January 27, 2022

Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe for tender chocolate cupcakes, filled and frosted with a strawberry cream cheese frosting.

I take issue with most cupcake sizing. Yes, mini cupcakes or even regular small ones are much better for me but they are not satisfying. They don't feel like a whole dessert but I don't want to take a second one. If I'm going to indulge, I want a large cupcake! And so that's what I made.

Thursday, January 13, 2022

Fried Yuca Balls

Recipe for panko coated and fried balls of cassava root (yuca) mashed and stuffed with cheese.

One beautiful April day, we drove upstate to meet our puppy and then had lunch at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. Our meal was insanely good, filled with memorable dishes of the tenderest short ribs and fried yucca balls. It was my first time tasting yuca (cassava root) and it was love at first bite.