Banana Cream Pie

Ingredients

3 large bananas, (to be sliced just before decorating)

For the crust - bottom layer
12 graham cracker squares (6 full sheets)

2 tablespoons butter, melted

For the Pastry Cream Filling - middle layer

2 cups milk

4 egg yolks

4 tbsp cornstarch

1/2 cup sugar

4 tsp salted butter

1 tsp vanilla essence

For decorating the pie - top layer

1 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup icing sugar

or you can use whipped cream in spray can

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a food processor, process graham crackers until finely ground. Add melted butter and 1 tablespoon of water, and process until the crumb clumps together. Press crumb mixture into bottom of a 9” pie plate and about ½ “up the sides. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, then let cool.

In the meantime, make the filling. Mix the sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Whisk in the egg yolks, beating until light in color. Heat the milk in a saucepan over high heat to bring to a boil, then remove from the heat. Temper the egg yolk mixture with the heated milk. (Slowly pour about half of the milk into the egg mixture while whisking vigorously, then pour back into the milk saucepan, again whisking vigorously). Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla essence. Immediately pour this through the strainer. Let it cool for about 5-7 minutes. Place in the refrigerator until the pudding has set, about 3 hours.

Next, slice the bananas and place them over the pie crust, overlapping each slice. Remove the pudding from the fridge, stir with a whisk and pour it over the banana slices evenly. 

Whip the cream with an electric beater. When it is about halfway done, add sugar, then continue whipping until fully whipped. Put the whipped cream in a piping bag with a star tip. Pipe star shapes on top of the pudding until all the cream has been used up. Chill in the fridge for 1/2 an hour before serving. You can also use a whipped cream spray can, in this case top with whipped cream just before serving.