BANANA CREAM CHOCOLATE GANACHE PIE by Sarah Phillips © 2009 Sarah Phillips baking911.com
Banana Cream Chocolate Pie and photo by Kelly CA © Sarah Phillips baking911.com
I love Banana Cream Pies! This pie is heavenly and to die for! I also love chocolate and bananas, so I created a recipe where chocolate ganache is first spread on the bottom of the pastry crust, but you can skip that step, if desired, and place the pastry cream directly on the crust! But, the chocolate adds so much flavor and also acts as a moisture-barrier, helping to keep the crust from turning soggy, instead keeping it fresh and flaky! I started using ganache in the bottom of my pie crusts in 2008, first with my Easy-Breezy Strawberry Cream Tart because it does not crack when the pie is cut-into! I have since loved my invention! And, ganache can be flavored anyway desired, lending so many variations to any pie recipe!
PIE RECIPE HELP
lkirke: By the way, your featured bannana cream pie recipe was awesome! I might know much about making bread but I have been making pies for years and learned some really great tips on improving my pie crusts...the texture was amazing...YUMMY!
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Step I: Kelly's Perfect Food Processor Pie Crust Recipe
Step II: Chocolate Ganache Recipe
Step III: Vanilla Pastry Cream REcipe
Step IV: Bananas Recipe
Step V: Whipped Cream and Chocolate Curls Recipes
Step VI: Assembly (no recipe)
STEP I: MAKE THE ONE-CRUST PERFECT FOOD PROCESSOR PIE CRUST AND BLIND BAKE
KELLY'S PERFECT FOOD PROCESSOR SINGLE PIE CRUST by Kelly CA / Double crust
Makes a single crust for a 9-inch standard or 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie
KELLY CA SAYS: You will only need a single crust for this recipe, which is below.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour; spoon into measuring cup and level to rim
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8- 1/4 cup ice water; make with water and ice cubes
1 egg, beaten; for egg wash
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Make and Prebake (Blind Bake) a Single Pie Crust. Let cool.
2. Set aside until needed.
STEP II: MAKE THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE AND COAT PREBAKED PIE CRUST
SIMPLE CHOCOLATE GANACHE
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup heavy cream
6 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped; weigh and then chop into 1/4-inch evenly sized pieces
SARAH SAYS: You can use 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
Pre-baked pastry crust from Step I
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Bring heavy cream to a boil in a heavy bottomed saucepan.
Pour chocolate into the hot cream. Let sit for 60 seconds before stirring.
2. Stir, IN ONE DIRECTION, to create a smooth ganache emulsion.
3. Cool Ganache: Refrigerate ganache for 15 minutes, stir well in the same direction as before. Chill another 15 minutes and stir again in the same direction as before or until the ganache has thickened and cooled, but has still remained pourable.
SARAH SAYS: If the ganache has stiffened too much, GENTLY reheat, stirring very slowly, until JUST warmed.
4. After making, IMMEDIATELY spread CHOCOLATE GANACHE into cooled, prebaked pie shell, to make a layer about 1/4-inch thick, taking care not to crush the crust. 
Spread the ganache up the sides of the crust, too.
SARAH SAYS: This creates a moisture barrier.
5. Chill the pie crust shell until the ganache has set.
STEP III: MAKE THE VANILLA PASTRY CREAM
VANILLA PASTRY CREAM by Sarah Phillips
INGREDIENTS
2 cups whole or 2% milk
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into bits
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Bring the milk to a boil in a medium size heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisking constantly to make sure it won't burn. Make sure you get into the edges of the pan
2. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until well-blended and thickened. 
Whisk constantly so the egg yolks won't cook, drizzle in 1/4 cup of the hot milk. Repeat with the remainder of the milk, adding it in a steady stream. 
3. Place the pan over medium heat, and while whisking constantly, bring the mixture to a boil. Adjust the heat, if necessary so the mixture won't burn.
Allow the pastry cream to boil for 1 to 2 minutes before removing. Take care to reach the corners of the pan with the whisk.
SARAH SAYS: Cornstarch based creams must boil before they can set, taking care not to overcook them.
4. Let the pastry cream sit for five minutes before stirring in the butter chunks, and then, the vanilla extract. Stir until the pastry cream is smooth and all of the butter is incorporated.
5. Place the pan with the pastry cream, in a large bowl filled with ice cubes and water and stir occasionally until the cream is cold, about 10 minutes. 
6. Scoop the pastry cream into a medium size bowl, taking care not to scrape the bottom and side of the pan. If the cream is lumpy or has bits of cooked egg whites, alternately strain the cream into the bowl pushing it through a fine mesh strainer with a rubber spatula. 
7. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap pressed on the surface of the cream so a film will not form on its surface and place momentarily in the refrigerator to chill.
STORAGE
Press a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the custard and refrigerate until chilled. The pastry cream can be made up to 3 days in advance. Stir well before using.
STEP IV: PREPARE THE BANANAS
BANANAS
INGREDIENTS
3 large slightly ripe bananas
3 lemons
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Peel the bananas and cut into slices, about 1/4 inch thick each.
2. Squeeze the juice from 3 lemons and gently toss it with the banana slices.
SARAH SAYS: The lemon juice will keep the bananas from turning brown. 
3. Set aside until ready to use.
STEP V: PREPARE THE WHIPPED CREAM AND CHOCOLATE CURLS FOR GARNISH
WHIPPED CREAM by Sarah Phillips
Makes about 3 cups
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups chilled heavy (whipping) cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
generous pinch salt
CHOCOLATE CURLS FOR GARNISH
INGREDIENTS
two ounces semi-sweet chocolate squares
INSTRUCTIONS
Whipped Cream
1. In a mixing bowl, add the cream.
2. Using a hand-held electric or stand mixer, beat on low-speed until small bubbles form, about 30 seconds. Slowly add in the sugar at the side of the bowl.
3. Add in the vanilla extract and the salt.
4. Then, increase the speed to medium and then to high. Move the beaters up and down and around the side of the bowl while whipping if using a hand-held mixer.
With a rubber spatula, scrape down the side of the bowl often.
5. Stop whipping when the cream has doubled in volume, is smooth, thick and is billowy when the beaters are raised. In this picture I have scraped together the whipped cream into the center of the bowl.
SERVE AND STORAGE
Serve immediately – whipped cream is best made the day of use. If storing, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 to 36 hours. If the cream separates in the refrigerator, whisk the cream together again woth a large wire baloon whisk until it has come back together (do not rebeat with an electric mixer).
For longer storage, whipped cream can be frozen by teaspoonful on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. When frozen, remove to a resealable plastic bag and place back in the freezer.
CHOCOLATE CURLS
INSTRUCTIONS
Use a vegetable peeler to make chocolate curls. Just run it over the edge of your chocolate.
STORAGE
Set aside in a cool place until needed.
If room is especially warm, cover bowl and refrigerate until needed. Once cold, take care when handling because the curls will shatter easily.
STEP VI: ASSEMBLE GANACHE COATED PASTRY CRUST WITH BANANA SLICES AND PASTRY CREAM
INGREDIENTS
CHOCOLATE GANACHE COATED PIE CRUST from Step II
PASTRY CREAM from Step III
BANANAS from Step IV
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Take the banana slices from the lemon juice and dab with paper towels to absorb the liquid. 
2. Take the ganache-covered pie crust from the refrigerator, as well as the pastry cream. Stir the pastry cream vigourously with a whisk before using.
3. Spread 1/3 of the pastry cream over the chocolate ganache. 
Top with half of the banana slices. 
Repeat with 1/3 pastry cream, half of the bananas and then, top with the remaining pastry cream. 
SARAH SAYS: Set aside or press a piece of plastic wrap on top of the pastry cream and chill until ready to serve. DO NOT store for more than an hour or two. THE PIE IS MEANT TO BE SERVED IMMEDIATELY, OTHERWISE IT WILL START TO WEEP WATER.
STEP VII: COVER WITH WHIPPED CREAM, GARNISH WITH CHOCOLATE CURLS AND SERVE
INGREDIENTS
Assembled Pie from Step VI
WHIPPED CREAM and CHOCOLATE CURLS from Step V
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Mound the whipped cream over the bananas and pastry cream in the pie. 
2. Sprinkle the pie with freshly grated chocolate curls.
Serve the pie immediately! Dive in!
STORAGE
Store all cream pies in the refrigerator. They tend to leach water during storage and only keep for a day or two!
VARIATIONS
Coconut Cream Pie by Sarah Phillips
