Old Fashioned Banana Cream Pie | Bunsen Burner Bakery

Peel two bananas and slice into 1/2-inch thick slices. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the bananas and cook until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add in the half-and-half and bring to a boil for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat, cover the pan, and let this mixture sit for 40 minutes.Whisk together the granulated sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt together in a large bowl until smooth. Strain the cooled half-and-half mixture through a strainer into the yolk mixture, but don’t push down on the bananas, just collect what filters through via gravity. Discard the cooked bananas.Clean the saucepan and transfer mixture back in. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture just starts to bubble, 6 to 8 minutes (until mixture reaches 180F). Remove pan from heat and whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon vanilla. Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl, press saran wrap directly against the surface, and cool for 1 hour.While the pastry cream is cooling, transfer the pie crust to a 9-inch pie plate and flute the edges. Refrigerate the crust for 40 minutes, then freeze for 20 minutes. Following freezing, cover the pie shell with aluminum foil, fill with pie weights, and bake for 20 minutes at 375F. Remove the foil and pie weights and continue to bake an additional 8 to 10 minutes, until the crust is golden in color.While pie is still warm, pour melted bittersweet chocolate in the center of the pie crust and spread up the edges of the pie with a pastry brush. Allow the pie to cool to room temperature; chocolate should solidify by the time the crust is cool.Peel and slice the remaining 3 bananas and toss with the orange juice. Whisk the pastry cream briefly, then spread half over the bottom of the pie crust Arrange the sliced bananas on top and top with the remaining pastry cream.Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, and remaining 1 tablespoon vanilla on high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread whipped cream evenly over the top of the pie. Refrigerate pie until set, at least 5 hours or up to 24 hours.