Banana Cream Pie Day with recipe

Monday March 2^nd is National Banana Cream Pie Day and to celebrate Gay Lea has developed a new twist on an old classic using their new Coconut Whipped Cream.

Bananas have been popular in North America since the late 1880s. The first recipe for Banana Cream Pie appeared in 1901 out of Chicago, IL and was published in the Women’s Exchange Cook Book. Retro desserts are gaining in popularity. Gay Lea has added flaked coconut to the base of this household favourite and a dollop of their deliciously creamy Coconut Whipped Cream to top off the pie! 

The Ultimate Chocolate Coconut Banana Cream Pie

Courtesy Gay Lea Foods

Looking for a dessert that combines nostalgia with a modern twist? This chocolate, banana and coconut combination is simply pie heaven!

Preparation Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

Crust
1 1/2 cups	all-purpose flour	375 mL
1/3 cup	each cocoa powder and granulated sugar	75 mL
1/4 cup	sweetened flaked coconut	50 mL
1/2 tsp	salt	2 mL
3/4 cup	cold, cubed Gay Lea Salted Butter	175 mL
1	egg yolk	1
Filling
2 1/2 cups	milk	625 mL
2/3 cup	granulated sugar	150 mL
1/3 cup	cornstarch	75 mL
2	egg yolks, beaten	2
2 tbsp	Gay Lea Salted Butter	30 mL
1 tbsp	vanilla extract	15 mL
3	bananas, thinly sliced	2
1 canister	Gay Lea Real Coconut Whipped Cream	225 g
	Toasted coconut

Instructions:

Crust: Pulse flour with cocoa, sugar, coconut and salt in a food processor. Pulse in butter until finely crumbed. Whisk egg yolk with 2 tbsp (30 mL) ice water; pulse into flour mixture until it clumps together.

Press dough evenly into the bottom and 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) up the sides of a 10-inch (25 cm) springform pan. Prick with a fork. Freeze for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake, on a lower rack, for 15 minutes or until set. Cool to room temperature.

Filling: Whisk milk with sugar and cornstarch in a heavy saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring often, until thickened. Whisk some of the hot milk mixture into egg yolks. Whisk back into remaining milk. Cook, whisking, for 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla.

Line cooled shell with bananas. Pour hot filling over top to cover bananas completely. Cool to room temperature; chill for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Just before serving, remove ring and arrange on serving platter. Pipe coconut whipped cream to cover custard completely and garnish with toasted coconut.

Makes 8 to 12 servings.

Tips:

• To make individual pies: Divide dough between eight, 5-inch (12-cm) mini pie plates or foil pot-pie pans; pressing evenly into bottom and up sides. Arrange on a baking sheet; bake for 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Divide bananas and custard between the cooled shells. Chill until set. Garnish with whipped cream and toasted coconut.