Chocolate Banana Cream Pie

Chocolate Banana Cream Pie

Yield: One 9-inch pie

Ingredients:

For the crust:

1 cup all purpose flour
4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled

1/4 cup water

1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup sugar 

For the filling:
3/4 cups sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups whole milk

3 egg yolks 
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 medium bananas, sliced 

For the topping:

1 cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Chocolate curls, for garnish (optional) (I just sprinkled some grated chocolate)

Directions:

Prepare pie crust according to the technique outlined here, adding in cocoa powder and sugar.

(I didn't necessarily follow the technique linked above. In a deep mixing bowl, I mixed together the flour, salt, cocoa powder, and sugar. I cut the butter into tiny pieces, added it to the bowl, and then coated each of the pieces with the mixture. I currently don't own a pastry blender so I kind of mushed half the butter in with a fork, and then gave up and used my hands. It worked! When I added the water, the dough came together beautifully. I wrapped it in plastic wrap, and refrigerated it for about 30 minutes. Then I took it out, and rolled and folded it as the technique above says to do, and I put it back in the fridge before I rolled it out into the pie pan)

Roll out and gently press into a 9" pie pan. Place pan and crust in the freezer for at least 10 minutes prior to baking (or while your oven is preheating).

Line crust with foil or parchment paper and fill full with pie weights or dried beans. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully remove weights and lining. Bake an additional 10-15 minutes until set. Allow to cool completely.

In a medium saucepan, mix sugar, flour and salt. Stir in 1 cup of milk, mix until smooth, and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue to stir until smooth and thickened, about 2 minutes, then remove from heat.

Beat the egg yolks with the remaining cup of milk. Temper the egg mixture with a small amount of the slightly cooled milk mixture then blend this into the larger saucepan with the cooling milk mixture.

Return saucepan to the heat and bring to a boil again, stirring constantly, lower heat and simmer until mixture is the consistency of thick pudding, about 1 minute.

Remove from the heat and quickly stir in butter and vanilla. Transfer half of the filling mixture to a small bowl and set aside. Add chocolate chips to remaining filling and stir until melted and smooth.

Allow fillings to cool for 5 minutes, then pour plain filling into cooled pie shell.

Arrange a single layer of banana slices on top of the filling. Pour chocolate filling on top.

Refrigerate until completely cooled. Whip cream until almost stiff. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until cream holds peaks. Gently spread whipped cream on top of cooled filling, smoothing top into a slight dome. Garnish with chocolate curls if desired.

Recipe from Love and Olive Oil