This Banana Cream Pieis made entirely from scratch with a homemade pie crust, creamy vanilla filling, and layers of sliced bananas in every bite. Infused with brown butter for a classic dessert that will make you swoon!
Prep Time 25 minutesminutes
Cook Time 45 minutesminutes
Additional Time 3 hourshours10 minutesminutes
Total Time 4 hourshours20 minutesminutes
Servings 8
Ingredients
For the crust
1cup(227g)unsalted butter, cold
1 ½cups(180g)cake flour
1 ½cups(195g)all-purpose flour
3tablespoonsgranulated sugar
¾teaspoonsalt
1large egg
3tablespoonsice water
For the filling
3tablespoonsunsalted butter
6large egg yolks
½cup(100g)granulated sugar
¼teaspoonsalt
4tablespoonscornstarch
1 ½cups(360ml)whole milk
1cupheavy cream
1teaspoonvanilla extract, or ½ teaspoon vanilla paste
Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk frequently. Continue to cook until melted. The butter will foam and then subside. Cook until brown bits develop in the bottom of the pan and the butter turns a light golden color, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat.
Line a small bowl with foil, letting some excess to hang over the sides. Pour the brown butter into the bowl, leaving behind the dark bits in the bottom of the pot. Freeze for 1 hour.
Remove the solidified brown butter from the bowl and cut into small chunks.
Combine both flours, salt, and sugar (if using) in a large bowl.
Add the eggs and carefully cut them into the flour with a silicone spatula.
Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the butter pieces are smaller than hazelnuts but larger than peas, about 2 minutes.
Fold in the water, one tablespoon at a time until no dry crumbs remain in the bottom of the bowl. Pick up a chunk of dough and squeeze it together. If it doesn't come together, add 1-2 tablespoons more water and cut it in.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough by smearing it with the heel of your hand just long enough to get it to come together.
Divide the dough in half and flatten each half into a disk. Wrap the disks tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Make the filling
Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk frequently. Continue to cook until melted. The butter will foam and then subside. Cook until brown bits develop in the bottom of the pan and the butter turns a light golden color, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Whisk the granulated sugar, egg yolks, salt, and cornstarch together in large bowl until smooth.
Heat the milk and heavy cream in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming and bubble begin to form around the edges.
While whisking continuously, gradually add the hot milk mixture to the egg mixture. After all the milk has been added, return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened to the consistency of warm pudding, 4 to 6 minutes.
Remove from heat and whisk in the brown butter and vanilla.
Press the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Place plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
On a lightly floured surface roll 1 disc of pie dough into a 12-inch round. (You can freeze the second disc to use at a later time.) Place in a 9-inch pie plate and trim off any excess along the edges, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Fold the excess under so it sits upon the rim of the pie dish. Flute the edges with fingertips. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Adjust oven rack to lower third position and heat oven to 375°F.
Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. (Make sure the parchment paper is large enough to be lifted out easily.) Bake for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment paper and weights, rotate the pie, and continue baking until the crust is golden brown, 10-15 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
Peel and slice the bananas about ¼- inch thick.
Arrange half the bananas over the bottom of the crust. Spread half of the chilled custard over the bananas. Arrange the remaining bananas over the custard and top with the remaining custard.
Make the topping
Just before serving, make the whipped cream according to the recipe instructions.
Spread the whipped cream evenly over top of the pie and garnish with more sliced bananas if desired.
The fully assembled pie will keep for up to 4 days covered lightly and stored in the refrigerator. The bananas will brown so don't top the pie until you are ready to serve it.
The pie crust dough can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
The crust can be blind baked up to 1 day in advance. Cover it and store it at room temperature.