Here is another of the cream pies I made for my fellow firefighters. I am not historically a big fan of banana flavored desserts, but this one got a big thumbs up from my co-workers. It was also my first time making my own creme anglais and I was really pleased that it came out. I made it with a vanilla wafer crust instead of a graham cracker crust but either will work just fine. Recipe and photo courtesy of chef-in-training.com.

Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 7 tablespoons melted butter

Filling:

• ¾ cup sugar
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 2 cups half and half
• 4 egg yolks
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 bananas, sliced

Whipped Cream:

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla

For the crust, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and sugar and mix well. Add melted butter and mix until it is well blended. Press into a 9 inch pie pan and bake for 7 minutes. Cool completely. For the filling, in medium sauce pan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add half and half and egg yolks and whisk until well combined. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute and remove from heat. Stir in butter, and vanilla. Pour ½ of the filling into the crust. Top with sliced bananas to cover the filling. Pour the rest of the filling over the bananas. Cover with saran wrap directly on the filling itself to avoiding a sticky film on top. Chill for at least 3 hours. Top with another layer of sliced bananas. Right before serving, beat the whipping cream in a medium bowl at high speed. Gradually add sugar and vanilla. Beat until stiff peaks form. You don’t want them to be soft but you don’t want them to become butter either. Spread whipping cream over the top of the bananas and then garnish with a few more slices of bananas.

*If you are taking the pie somewhere where it won’t be eaten right away, take a look at my stabilized whipped cream recipe here.