For Pi Day (3/14) I am making this peanut butter banana cream pie from the Book of Pie recipe. The pie crust is blind baked rather than parbaked. The crust is fully cooked empty so the only difference between the partial baking is after removing the pie weights the crust is cooked for another 10-12 minutes leaving it fully cooked. The custard filling has peanut butter and is cooked on the stove top then poured into the crust and chilled in the fridge until set. I made a peanut brittle for topping and also made a peanut butter whipped cream. So for assembly after the custard has set before serving you can place the bananas. The whipped cream can be piped or poured on the pie then the peanut brittle pieces can be added. I think the peanut brittle extras will be nice on some ice cream. The pie is not too difficult but there are several components. I made the pie crust the night before then in the morning formed the crust did the blind baking. While the crust was baking I made the brittle and custard. Right before serving I sliced the bananas and made the peanut whipped cream. So lots of parts but it all came out well.
Crust
Ingredients
- 160g all purpose flour
- 1/2t salt
- 4T unsalted butter
- 4T vegetable shortening
- 1 egg white for wash
Steps
- quick whisk of flour and salt in a large bowl
- make sure butter and shortening are cold
- cut butter into 1/2 inch cubes, coat flour
- cut shortening into small pieces add to flour mixture
- gently squeeze butter and shortening until mixture starts to resemble coarse sand
- make a well, add 60g of ice cold water
- mix with hands or two butter knives until starts to come together
- add 1T or water additional until can form into a ball
- form into a disk and cover with plastic wrap
- keep in fridge overnight
- preheat oven to 425F
- next day roll out dough, place in pie dish
- prick the crust with fork (not the sides just inside of bottom)
- brush with egg whites
- add parchment paper and pie weights
- bake 15-17 minutes, starting to look baked and almost turning golden
- remove pie weight and parchment, bake additional 10-12 minutes edges turning golden and looks fully cookie
- let cool completely
peanut brittle
Ingredients
- 99g granulated sugar
- 59g / 3T corn syrup
- 85g to 125g (1/2c or 3/4c) peanuts, roasted or raw, I prefer roasted
- 3g 1/2-3/4t sea salt
Steps
- combine sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan, heat over medium until dissolve and simmers, stir constantly
- prepare baking sheet with parchment paper
- when simmers stop mixing, wait until starting to turn golden
- add peanuts, mix until peanuts are covered
- keep cooking until turns amber/brown be careful for smells of burning
- pour onto baking sheet with parchment and let cool fully
Custard
Ingredients
- 452g, 2 cups whole milk
- 118g, 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 192g / 3/4c creamy peanut butter
- 106g / 1/2c brown sugar
- 50g / 1/4c granulated sugar
- 37g / 1/3c cornstarch
- 3g / 3/4t sea salt
- 56g / 2 large eggs
- 64g / 3 large egg yolks
- 28g / 2T unsalted butter
- 10g / 2t vanilla extract
- for final assembly 450g or 3-4 medium bananas peeled and thickly sliced
Steps
- in a saucepan combine the milk, cream, peanut butter
- heat, while whisking to help dissolve the peanut butter
- in a bowl mix the brown sugar, sugar, corn starch, salt, mix to get clumps out
- add eggs and yolks and whisk to combine
- while milk is simmering pour 1/4 of the milk mixture to the egg mixture to temper
- whisk until combined
- add back to the milk saucepan
- with silicon spatula mix constantly as thickens
- when is thickened and bubbling remove from heat, add butter
- mix until butter melts
- add in vanilla stir until combined
- should be like a smooth pudding
- strain the pudding into the cooked pie crust
- cover with plastic wrap and cool in fridge until set at least 2 hours, can leave up to 24 hours
peanut butter whipped cream
Ingredients
- 135g / 1/2c smooth peanut butter
- 25g / 2T granulated sugar
- 173g / 3/4c heavy cream
- 1t vanilla extract
Steps
- using mixer add sugar and peanut butter to bowl
- whip until light and fluffy for a minute or two
- slowly pour cream on side in slow steady stream
- keep whipping until soft peaks
- scrape bowl and keep mixing until medium peaks form
- add vanilla and whip until incorporated
Final assembly
- slice bananas and place on the crust with pudding filling as even layer
- spread whipped cream with spoon or pipe over bananas
- break brittle or crumble it to desired size and sprinkle over whipped cream
