Recipe for Banana Cream Pie

This banana cream pie from James Peterson's "Baking" gets a nutty butterscotch flavour from the addition of browned butter. And while he doesn't call for it, whipped cream sprinkled with nutmeg is always a good topping for this pie.

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BANANA CREAM PIE

Start to finish: 3 hours (1 hour active)

Servings: 8

Equipment:

9-or 10-inch pie pan

Dried beans or rice, for baking the pie shell

For the pie:

1 basic prepared pie crust

3 cups milk

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown butter (see recipe below)

3 to 4 ripe bananas

Roll the dough into a round about 2 inches larger than the pie pan. Line the pie pan with the dough, folding the excess under the edge to make it a double thickness. Pinch the rim to make a fluted edge.

Place a sheet of parchment paper over the pie shell, then fill it with enough dried beans or rice to come up the sides. Bake until the edges are golden brown, then remove the beans and parchment and bake until the centre is golden brown, about 15 minutes total.

Set the pie shell aside to cool.

In a medium saucepan over low, bring the milk to a simmer with the vanilla bean or extract.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch. Pour half of the simmering milk into the egg mixture, stir to combine thoroughly, then pour the mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk.

Increase heat to medium and whisk for about 5 minutes, or until it bubbles and thickens. Remove the vanilla bean, if using. Transfer the custard to a bowl, whisk in the brown butter, then cover with plastic wrap and allow to cool to room temperature.

Spread a third of the custard over the bottom of the pie shell. Slice 2 of the bananas into between 1/8 and 1/4-inch-thick slices and arrange half of them over the custard in a single layer.

Spread half of the remaining custard over the banana slices, then arrange the remaining sliced bananas on top of the custard. Cover the bananas with the remaining custard.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving, but serve at room temperature. Shortly before serving, slice the remaining banana and arrange on top of the pie.

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BROWN BUTTER

Start to finish: 10 minutes

Makes 3/4 cup

1 cup butter

In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium, heat the butter. As it melts, you will notice a lot of foam. After about 3 minutes the foam will subside and the milk solids will coagulate into small but visible particles.

Cook for another 2 minutes, by which point the particles of milk solids should be brown and be clinging to the sides and bottom of the pan. Immediately set the saucepan in a bowl of cold water.

Using a fine mesh strainer lined with paper towels or a coffee filter, strain the butter into a storage container. Discard the solids in the filter. Use immediately or refrigerator (where it will keep for months).

(Recipes from James Peterson's "Baking," Ten Speed Press, 2009)