Banana Cream Pie ~ Simply Delicious

BANANA CREAM PIE
CRUST
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon powdered vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, chilled and diced
1/4 cup ice water

• In a large bowl sift together flour and salt.
• Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  
• Stir in water, a tablespoon at a time, until mixture forms a ball.
  
• Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for several hours. Overnight is better.

• Preheat oven 350 degrees.
  
• Roll dough.
  
• Place crust in 9 inch pie plate.
  
• Press the dough evenly into the bottom and sides of the pie plate.
• Flute the edges with a fork.
• Bake 12-15 minutes until flaky and JUST golden. It will finish baking after you have filled it.
  
• Cool.
  

FILLING
3/4 cup fine sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups whole milk
3 Jumbo egg yolks, beaten
2 tablespoons butter, melted & cooled
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon maple extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4 just ripe bananas, sliced
1 extra ripe small banana, pureed

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  
• In a medium saucepan heat milk slowly.
• Sift together the sugar, flour and salt.
  
• Add the flour mixture gradually while stirring gently.
• Add in banana puree.
  
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is bubbly. Keep stirring and cook for about 2 more minutes, and then remove from the burner.
• Stir a small quantity of the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks, and immediately add egg yolk mixture back into the hot mixture. Cook for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly.
  
• Remove the mixture from the stove immediately adding the butter, lemon juice, maple and vanilla extracts stirring constantly until a smooth consistency is reached. (Do not cool for too long before pouring over the sliced bananas.)
  
• Slice the bananas into the cooled baked pastry shell.
  
• Top immediately with pudding mixture.
• Bake for 10 minutes.
  
• Chill for several hours before serving. Overnight is best.
• Top with whipped cream.

TOPPING
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon maple extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

• In a large bowl (I use my copper one and pre-chill it and my whisk in the freezer), whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks are just about to form.
  
• Beat in maple extract, vanilla powder and powdered sugar until peaks form, making sure not to over-beat.