The Comfort Table: Recipes for Everyday Occasions

Chocolate Banana Cream Pie

One 9-inch pie crust (store-bought or homemade)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup high-quality cocoa powder
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 cups whole milk
3 extra large egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 ripe bananas, thinly sliced on diagonal
1 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp confectioners' sugar
Chocolate shavings, for garnish

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: PIE WEIGHTS OR DRY BEANS

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Place the pie crust in a pie plate and pinch the edges to create a rim. Use a fork to prick holes in the dough. Fill the crust with pie weights or beans. Bake 15 minutes. Remove the pie weights. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 F and bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool completely.

While the crust is cooling, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the white sugar, cocoa, flour, and salt. Mix well. Whisk in the milk. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon while the mixture comes to a boil and becomes thick, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce the heat to very low. Stir a couple of tablespoons of the hot mixture into the egg yolks. Stir the egg yolks back into the hot milk mixture. Stir constantly until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of the vanilla extract.

Line the crust with half of the banana slices. Pour the pudding into the pie crust. Top with the remaining banana slices. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.

Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the cream, confectioners' sugar, and remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream on the pie. Top with chocolate shavings. Refrigerate until serving time.

6 to 8 SERVINGS
PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES
INACTIVE PREP TIME: 2 HOURS TO CHILL PIE
COOK TIME: 45 MINUTES

From THE COMFORT TABLE: RECIPES FOR EVERYDAY OCCASIONS by Katie Lee. Copyright (c) 2009 by Katie Lee. Reprinted by permission of Simon Spotlight Entertainment, a Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc., NY.