The Best Banana Cream Pie

Step 1

Place the butter in a heat-safe container.  Set aside.

Step 2

Place the vanilla bean seeds, pod, and milk in a medium saucepan.  Heat over medium-low until it begins to simmer.

Step 3

Meanwhile, whisk together the sugar and egg yolks. Stir in the flour and cornstarch until smooth.

Step 4

Temper the hot milk into the egg mixture by whisking in a little bit at a time in order to gradually bring up the temperature of the eggs.  Discard the vanilla bean pod.

Step 5

Return the mixture back to the saucepan and heat over medium-high.

Step 6

While stirring constantly, bring the mixture up to a boil - the cream will be thick and will "pop" slowly. Continue to whisk/cook for about 1 minute after it begins boil.

Step 7

Strain the mixture with a mesh sieve and into the container with the butter.  Stir to combine.

Step 8

Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the surface of the cream. Refrigerate until cool and thick, at least an hour.

Step 9

By hand of with an electric mixer, whip the cream until it begins to thicken.  Add the sugar and whip until soft peaks.  Add the vanilla and whip until medium/firm peaks.  By hand, this will take about 3 to 5 minutes. Do not over-mix.

Step 10

Fill the baked and cooled pie crust with the prepared pastry cream.  Smooth out with a spatula or the back of a spoon.

Step 11

Slice the bananas into 1/2-inch thick coins.  Place them in tight concentric circles on top of the pastry cream.

Step 12

Fill a piping bag fitted with a star tip with the whipped cream.  Pipe tight spirals on to top of the bananas to create rosettes.  Continue to pipe piles of cream, or as desired.

Step 13

Using a vegetable peeler, scrape the long edge of a block of chocolate directly over the top of the finished pie to create chocolate shavings.