Banoffee Pie

I love this time of year because I have lots of reasons to make dessert.  I'm having fun trying to decide what I'll make for Thanksgiving. 

I made this last week to celebrate a friend's birthday.  I made it in individual glasses which worked well because I didn't need a whole pie.  There are lots of recipes for banoffee pie around the internet.  I'd like to try this one from Mel's Kitchen Cafe sometime soon.

I got this particular recipe from a friend several years ago.  I was very perplexed when she explained to me how to make the dulce de leche:  boil a can of sweetened condensed milk for 3 hours.  I asked her SEVERAL times about not opening the can.  It seemed confusing.  I've made dulce de leche this way many times with success, but read recently that BPA from the can can leach into the sweetened condensed milk, which makes sense.  So, I tried David Lebovitz's method which is the fastest I have found.  You can also cook it in jars in a crock pot, but it takes a while.  So, for banoffee pie, start by making the dulce de leche.  You can do this ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator. 

BANOFFEE PIE

• graham cracker crust, recipe found here
• 2-3 bananas, sliced
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk, made into dulce de leche (see below)
• 2 cups whipping cream, prepared (see below)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3-4 tablespoons sugar
• milk chocolate, ganache, or good chocolate topping

DULCE DE LECHE

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.


Pour one can (14 ounces) of sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk) into a glass pie plate or shallow baking dish. Stir in a few flecks of sea salt.


Set the pie plate within a larger pan, such as a roasting pan, and add hot water until it reaches halfway up the side of the pie plate.


Cover the pie plate snugly with aluminum foil and bake for 1 to 1¼ hours. (Check a few times during baking and add more water to the roasting pan as necessary).


Once the Dulce de Leche is nicely browned and caramelized, remove from the oven and let cool.


Once cool, whisk until smooth.


Source:  David Lebovitz



WHIPPED CREAM

Pour whipping cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla into bowl.


Use hand or stand mixer to whip the cream. 


Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time and mix well until it thickens.


NOTE:  Taste the cream to make sure it is as sweet as you'd like before it gets thick.  It will be grainy if you add the sugar too late. 



ASSEMBLING THE PIE

Place sliced bananas in the bottom of a baked pie shell. 


Drizzle dulce de leche on top of the bananas and spread evenly. 


Top with prepared whipped cream and drizzle chocolate on top.


Lucky for me, I had this Fran's chocolate to use on top.  I love good teacher gifts.

Source:  Karen Linn