Restaurant Recipes
Liberty Cafe Banana Cream Pie
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour + flour for rolling
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening, chilled
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled
- 4 to 8 tablespoons ice water
Pastry Cream
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 eggs
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Topping
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 to 5 bananas, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
- Chocolate shavings (for garnish)
Instructions
Crust
- Combine the flour and salt in a food processor fitted with the metal blade.
- Add the shortening and butter and process using on/off pulses until the mixture is the size of peas.
- Add the water 1 tablespoon at a time, processing until the dough just begins to come together.
- Form the dough into a ball. Flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator. Let soften slightly if necessary.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 10 inch round, about 1/8 inch thick.
- Transfer the dough to a 9 inch pie dish. Crimp the edges decoratively. Line the dough with foil and pie weights or dry beans to keep the crust from bubbling up during baking.
- Bake until the edges of the crust are lightly browned, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove the weights and foil and continue to bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until the whole crust is golden brown.
- Transfer to a rack. Let cool completely.
Pastry Cream
- Pour the milk into a large saucepan and place over low heat.
- Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean, then add the pod, as well. Heat until warm.
- Stir in 1/4 cup of the sugar and continue to warm until small bubbles form around the edge of the pan, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Using an electric mixer, beat together the flour, cornstarch, eggs and remaining 1/4 cup sugar until smooth.
- Slowly whisk the warmed milk into the egg mixture.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan. Stir over low heat until thick and slightly bubbly, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Strain into a large bowl.
- Add the butter and stir until melted.
- Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pastry cream. Let cool, then refrigerate until chilled.
Topping
- Beat together the cream, sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl until stiff peaks form.
- Assembly: Spread a thin layer of pastry cream in the crust.
- Top with a layer of bananas. Continue to layer bananas and pastry cream until you reach the top of the crust, finishing with the pastry cream to prevent the bananas from turning brown.
- Top with the whipped cream and garnish with chocolate shavings.
Nutrition
Per serving: 420 calories, 7g protein, 43g carbohydrate, 26g fat (13g saturated), 124 mg cholesterol, 162mg sodium, 1g fiber
Attribution
Liberty Cafe - San Francisco, California