This showstopper is a worthwhile project. Set aside some time 2 days ahead to make the components, then practice saying "Aw shucks, that was nothing!" to raving guests.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
Peanut shortbread crust:
Vanilla pastry cream:
Assembly:
Special Equipment
Preparation
For peanut crust:
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Pulse peanuts in a food processor until coarsely ground. Transfer 1/4 cup ground nuts to a small bowl; cover and set aside for garnish. Pulse remaining peanuts until peanut butter forms, about 2 minutes.
Step 2
Whisk flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat both sugars, peanut butter, and butter until well combined and mixture resembles wet sand, 2-3 minutes. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, until well blended, about 3 minutes (mixture will be clumpy). Gradually add dry ingredients; beat just to combine (mixture will be crumbly; do not overmix or crust will be tough). Gather dough with your hands, place in pie dish, and press evenly onto bottom and up sides of dish. Bake until edges are deep golden brown, 15-17 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover tightly.
For vanilla pastry cream:
Step 3
Bring milk and cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Meanwhile, whisk sugar, cornstarch, flour, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add egg yolks; whisk until smooth (mixture will be very thick). Whisking constantly, gradually add milk mixture to yolk mixture. Return to saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until thick, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a blender with butter and vanilla. Purée until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl; press plastic wrap directly onto surface of pastry cream. Chill until set, at least 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead.
For assembly:
Step 4
Using an electric mixer or whisk, beat 1/2 cup cream and powdered sugar until medium-stiff peaks form. Cover and chill.
Step 5
Stir sugar, 1 tablespoon bourbon, corn syrup, and 1 tablespoon water in a medium deep saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat, bring to a boil without stirring, and cook, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush, until sugar is deep amber in color, 6-8 minutes. Remove caramel from heat; whisk in remaining 1/4 cup cream, butter, and salt (mixture will bubble vigorously). Let cool for 5 minutes; whisk in remaining 1/2 tablespoon bourbon and vanilla. Let bourbon caramel cool slightly. DO AHEAD: Whipped cream and bourbon caramel can be made 2 hours ahead. Rewhisk whipped cream before serving. Let bourbon caramel stand at room temperature.
Step 6
Spread 1/4 cup vanilla pastry cream evenly over bottom of peanut crust. Slice bananas into 1/4"-thick rounds. Layer half of the bananas over pastry cream. Top with 1 1/2 cups pastry cream. Arrange remaining bananas over; top bananas with remaining pastry cream. Garnish with whipped cream and reserved ground peanuts. Serve with bourbon caramel.
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Reviews (33)
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lostclusters
4/3/2021
I have made many custards in my day and must say this custard set up the fastest I have every seen. I can not understand how anyone can say it is runny. Key take aways: Bring milk/cream to a boil Once you start the process, to not pause or take a break. Finish making the custard.
lostclusters
4/3/2021
Been baking for MANY years and these instructions are very poorly written. It tells you under "assembly" that the 3/4 c cream is divided but then never mentions in the vanilla pastry cream ingredient or prep sections that the cream should be 1/4c (assuming since 1/2c is for the whipped cream). This could be why so many people state their pie filling did not set! I'm sure it will be delicious, but the instructions were poorly written and frustrating.
lsharkey
New Jersey
12/13/2020
As a Professional Chef (went to Culinary institute of America) I suspect all of these comments about the Pastry Cream not setting right it may be caused by not bringing the Cream and Milk to a boil not a simmer. Corn starch activates at 203 degrees and milk or cream boil at 209 degrees this will have no effect on the eggs. Other than that this is an awesome Banana Cream pie good enough for special occasions. Remember you can do a lot of this recipe the day before.
j.brydges1256
Los Angeles
11/25/2019
I made a few modifications and had similar results to other cooks. I used a regular pastry crust and that was fine, but next time I will try the peanut crust. My custard set up just beautifully, using the exact amounts the recipe called for, but I did cook it for like 8-10 minutes constantly stirring, and then chilled it overnight. For a pie, it was still too running to get nice slices, so next time I will fold the whipped cream into the custard and forget about the layer of whipped cream on the top. The camel sauce is delicious, but hardens into tooth cracking rocks, so I warmed it up and then drizzled it on the top. I used rum instead of bourbon, next time I think I will soak the banana in the liquor for a few minutes to concentrate the flavor better, it got kind of lost.
lorriejo
Germantown, WI
5/4/2017
Worth it to take time and make the crust. All the flavors work in harmony. I didn't use the bourbon and it still tasted great!
duchocolat
7/2/2015
So worth every bit of extra effort. Will be making this again, and again, and again.
Marcene419
Mason, OH
4/20/2014