So my pie challenge continues, and each week we're getting more and more excited to open up our own pie shop in the next few years. Earlier this week I read about a pie shop in San Francisco called Mission Pie. The restaurant provides internships for local kids in the community and strives to engage people toward a deeper connection with the environments, enterprises and people that sustain them. The bakery partners with a local farm, Pie Ranch, and receives fresh, organic produce weekly. Ryan and I couldn't help but imagining our own version of Mission Pie, complete with a working farm and located in another fabulous US city.
But back to my latest pie creation...over the course of this experiment, I've learned that people love pies. Especially pies with gooey custard and freshly whipped cream. Throw in a couple of sliced bananas, some graham crackers and a dash of cinnamon, and you have a pie that almost no one can resist.
We shared this pie with some friends we've made in Colorado Springs. We shared a big pot of chili, some homemade cornbread and an ample dose of laughter and conversation. This sweet pie was a perfect ending to a delightful evening.
But back to my latest pie creation...over the course of this experiment, I've learned that people love pies. Especially pies with gooey custard and freshly whipped cream. Throw in a couple of sliced bananas, some graham crackers and a dash of cinnamon, and you have a pie that almost no one can resist.
We shared this pie with some friends we've made in Colorado Springs. We shared a big pot of chili, some homemade cornbread and an ample dose of laughter and conversation. This sweet pie was a perfect ending to a delightful evening.
When perusing recipes for Banana Cream pie I was torn between using a traditional butter pastry and a graham cracker crust. After vacillating for a day or two, I struck upon a genius compromise. I rolled my pie crust in graham cracker crumbs before baking it, and it created the most delicious and sturdy base for my vanilla custard. Although I'm sure this pie would be delicious using either pie crusts, I would highly suggest combining the two as I did.
Graham cracker coated crust
Banana Cream Pie
Single recipe for butter pastry (well chilled)
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
Filling
1/2 cup plus 2 TBSP sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
5 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup evaporated milk
2 TBSP butter
1 tsp cinnamon
Whipped Topping
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
1 TBSP sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of graham crackers on a clean surface. Proceed to roll out your dough, sprinkling remaining crumbs on the top of the pie dough. Fit your graham cracker coated dough into a pie plate and bake in preheated 400 degree oven. (Follow instructions for pre-baking pie crust)
2. Whisk together sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan. Add the yolks and then the milk and evaporated milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly as the mixture begins to simmer and thicken, 8 to 10 minutes. Once the mixture simmers, continue to cook for about 1 minute longer. Remove pan from heat and stir in the vanilla extract, cinnamon and butter. Pour the filling into a shallow pan, another pie pan works great, and cover directly with plastic wrap to prevent a film from forming. Allow to cool until warm, about 20-30 minutes. Pour into your prebaked pie crust and place another sheet of plastic wrap over the surface. Refrigerate the pie until completely chilled, at least 3 hours.
3. When ready to serve, beat the cream and sugar in a chilled bowl until soft peaks form. Add the vanilla and continue to beat to barely stiff peaks, spread over the filling and sprinkle with crumbled wafers or graham crackers.
Single recipe for butter pastry (well chilled)
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
Filling
1/2 cup plus 2 TBSP sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
5 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup evaporated milk
2 TBSP butter
1 tsp cinnamon
Whipped Topping
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
1 TBSP sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of graham crackers on a clean surface. Proceed to roll out your dough, sprinkling remaining crumbs on the top of the pie dough. Fit your graham cracker coated dough into a pie plate and bake in preheated 400 degree oven. (Follow instructions for pre-baking pie crust)
2. Whisk together sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan. Add the yolks and then the milk and evaporated milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly as the mixture begins to simmer and thicken, 8 to 10 minutes. Once the mixture simmers, continue to cook for about 1 minute longer. Remove pan from heat and stir in the vanilla extract, cinnamon and butter. Pour the filling into a shallow pan, another pie pan works great, and cover directly with plastic wrap to prevent a film from forming. Allow to cool until warm, about 20-30 minutes. Pour into your prebaked pie crust and place another sheet of plastic wrap over the surface. Refrigerate the pie until completely chilled, at least 3 hours.
3. When ready to serve, beat the cream and sugar in a chilled bowl until soft peaks form. Add the vanilla and continue to beat to barely stiff peaks, spread over the filling and sprinkle with crumbled wafers or graham crackers.
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