Banana Cream Pie

To make the crust, preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C).

In a food processor, pulse the cookies until fine crumbs form. Add the sugar and salt and pulse a few times to mix evenly. Add the melted butter and pulse until the texture resembles wet sand. Gently press the mixture evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch (23-cm) pie dish, pressing until compact.

Bake until the crust is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack before filling.

While the crust is cooling, make the caramel sauce: In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the brown sugar, half-and-half, butter and salt. Cook, whisking gently, until the sauce thickens, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and cook for 1 minute longer. Transfer the caramel sauce to a small bowl and let cool to room temperature.

To make the filling, halve 2 of the bananas crosswise, then cut into thin slices. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, combine 4 Tbs. (2 oz./60 g) of the butter, the brown sugar, allspice and nutmeg and stir until the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Add the banana slices and gently stir until the liquid thickens slightly and the bananas are coated, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the rum, then place over medium-high heat, and simmer until the the liquid reduces to a syrup glaze, 4 to 6 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Spread the mixture in the crust. Thinly cut the remaining 2 bananas and arrange on top.

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup (125 ml) of the milk and the cornstarch. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks until blended, then slowly whisk in the milk mixture. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the remaining 2 1/2 cups (625 ml) milk, the granulated sugar, salt and vanilla bean seeds and pod and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Discard the vanilla pod.

Add the hot milk, 1/4 cup (60 ml) at a time, to the egg mixture, whisking constantly, then pour the mixture back into the pan. Stir constantly over medium-high heat until the mixture boils. Reduce the heat to medium and stir constantly until the mixture is thick enough to coat the spoon, 6 to 8 minutes. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Stir in the remaining 2 Tbs. butter until melted. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and pierce the plastic a few times with a knife to let the steam escape. Let cool to room temperature. Spread the custard on top of the bananas.

To make the whipped cream, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the cream and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the sugar. Raise the speed to medium-high and beat until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Pipe or spoon over the pie.

Drizzle the caramel sauce over the whipped cream. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight before serving. Serves 8 to 10.

Adapted from Williams-SonomaThe Pie Cookbook (Weldon Owen, 2016)