Old Fashioned Banana Cream Pie

Step 1

Make the crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl combine the Nilla wafer crumbs, salt, and melted butter. Stir to combine. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9” pie plate. Bake crust for 8-9 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before filling.

Step 2

Make the custard: In a medium saucepan (not over heat yet) whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add the eggs, one at a time, then add the egg yolks, whisking until smooth. Pour in the milk and heavy cream, while whisking constantly. Place over medium heat and bring the mixture to a low simmer, whisking constantly. (The custard will thicken as it bubbles.) Simmer for 1 minute (whisking constantly). Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract. Let cool for 5 minutes.

Step 3

Take one banana and slice it in half. Save one of the halves to use as topping. Now take the remaining 2.5 bananas, remove the peel and slice the bananas. Place the banana slices along the bottom of the cooled pie crust. Pour the custard through a fine mesh sieve overtop of the bananas (this step ensures a silky smooth filling). Spread the custard into an even layer. Press a piece of plastic wrap against the custard surface (this will prevent a film from forming) and chill in the fridge for 2 hours, until the custard is cool and has set.

Step 4

Final assembly: In a large bowl beat the heavy cream, plain Greek yogurt (if using, or can sub sour cream), powdered sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form. Dollop over the cooled custard (or place in a pastry bag with a decorative tip) and pipe on top of the pie. Slice the banana half and place the additional banana slices amongst the whipped topping. Slice and serve.