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Banana Cream Pie
Ingredients:
- All-purpose flour, for dusting
- Pie Dough
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1/2 Cup granulated sugar
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 Teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 Cups whole milk
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 ripe bananas
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 3/4 Cups heavy cream
- 3 Tablespoons confectioners sugar, sifted
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour, and roll out pie dough to a 1/8-inch thickness.
- Fit into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate.
- Trim pastry using scissors or a sharp paring knife.
- Crimp or decorate edges of pastry if desired.
- Chill for 30 minutes.
- Carefully line pastry with parchment paper, pressing it into corners and edges, and weight with beans, rice, or aluminum or ceramic weights.
- Bake until pastry begins to color around edges, about 15 minutes.
- Remove paper and weights, and continue to bake just until pastry dries out and turns golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes more.
- Cool completely on a wire rack.
- The baked shell can be stored in airtight containers or well wrapped in plastic in the freezer for up to 1 month.
- Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside.
- Make the custard: In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
- In a medium saucepan, bring milk just to a boil.
- Remove from heat, and whisk about 1/2 cup of hot milk into yolk mixture.
- Whisk yolk mixture into saucepan of hot milk. Place over medium-high heat, and bring to a gentle boil, whisking constantly.
- Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 1 minute.
- Remove from heat, and whisk in butter, one piece at a time, until melted. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla, and whisk until smooth.
- Immediately strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Place bowl of custard in ice bath to cool, stirring occasionally.
- Peel bananas, and slice 1/4 inch thick.
- Add lemon juice, and toss gently to coat. Arrange in an even layer in bottom of baked piecrust.
- Scrape cooled custard over bananas, and smooth top with a spatula.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat cream on medium-low speed for 30 seconds.
- Increase speed to medium-high, and add confectioners’ sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
- Beat until soft peaks form.
- Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe cream over custard in large rosettes, covering it completely.
- Serve immediately.
Boston Cream Pie
Ingredients:
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for pan
- 1 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon salt
- 1/2 Cup milk
- 3 large eggs
- 1 Cup sugar
- Vanilla or Chocolate Pudding
- 1/4 Cup heavy cream
- 4 Ounces semisweet chocolate chopped
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. Combine milk and butter in a small saucepan; set over very low heat.
- With an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar on high speed until thick, lightened in color, and mixture holds a trail for several seconds when beater is lifted, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Gradually whisk in dry Ingredients: just until incorporated.
- Bring milk and butter to a boil.
- With mixer on low speed, add hot milk mixture to batter; mix just until smooth.
- Mix in vanilla; transfer batter to prepared pan, and smooth top.
- Bake until golden and pulling away from sides of pan, 35 to 40 minutes.
- Cool cake 10 minutes in pan; remove from pan, and transfer to a rack to cool, right side up.
- Fill cake: For easy cleanup, place a piece of waxed paper under rack.
- With a serrated knife, split cooled cake horizontally (leave bottom half on rack).
- Spread bottom half with Vanilla Pudding to within 1/2 inch of edge; gently place top half of cake on pudding layer.
- Make Chocolate Glaze: In a small saucepan, bring heavy cream to a boil. Remove from heat, and add chocolate; stir until smooth.
- Set aside to cool to room temperature and to thicken slightly, about 10 minutes.
- When glaze has thickened, pour over filled cake.
- Using a small metal spatula, spread glaze to edges of cake, allowing it to drip down sides. Let glaze set, 15 to 20 minutes. Leftover cake can be refrigerated, loosely covered, up to 2 days.
Coconut Cream Pie
Ingredients:
- All-purpose flour, for dusting
- 1 large whole egg, lightly beaten, plus 4 large egg yolks
- 3 Cups canned unsweetened coconut milk
- 2/3 Cup granulated sugar
- 5 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 Teaspoon salt
- 2 Ounces semisweet chocolate
- 1 Cup heavy cream
- 1/4 Cup confectioners sugar
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to a 12-inch round, a bit less than 1/4 inch thick.
- Fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, trim crust to a 1/2-inch overhang all around.
- Fold under overhang so it extends slightly beyond edge of pie plate.
- Crimp edge as desired.
- Prick dough all over with a fork.
- Brush rim of dough with beaten egg.
- Chill pie shell until firm, about 30 minutes.
- Line chilled pie shell with a round of parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang.
- Fill with pie weights or dried beans.
- Bake until edges of crust just turn golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove parchment and pie weights.
- Return crust to oven, and continue baking until golden all over 15 to 20 minutes more.
- Place pie shell on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
- Place Coconut Curls on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, tossing occasionally, until fragrant and lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
- Prepare an ice bath; set aside.
- In a bowl, lightly whisk egg yolks; set aside. In a saucepan, whisk together coconut milk, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
- Bring to a simmer (do not boil), and cook, whisking constantly, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Whisk a quarter of hot milk mixture into egg yolks; whisk in remaining milk mixture.
- Strain into a clean saucepan, and cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until custard is thick and bubbles appear in center, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Transfer to a medium bowl, and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto surface to prevent a skin from forming.
- Set in ice bath until completely chilled, 30 to 35 minutes. (Filling can be kept in refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, up to 1 day.)
- Melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (do not let bowl touch the water), or in the microwave.
- Stir until smooth, and set aside until cool to touch, stirring occasionally.
- Using a pastry brush, coat inside of cooled crust with melted chocolate.
- Place in refrigerator or freezer until firm to touch, about 10 minutes
- Fill crust with coconut custard, spreading evenly with an offset spatula.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, combine cream and confectioners’ sugar; beat until soft peaks form.
- Using a small offset spatula, spread whipped cream on top of custard.
- Refrigerate pie at least 3 hours before serving.
- Garnish with toasted Coconut Curls and Chocolate Curls just before serving.
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