WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!
Best. Dorie. Recipe. EVER!
I have never had banana cream pie. What was I MISSING?! Up in NY, especially Italian land where I proudly grew up, I never even SAW a banana cream pie. So when Amy of Sing For Your Supper (click for recipe) chose this, I was super excited.
This recipe is amazing.
First, let's start with Dorie's ungodly good-for-everything-but-my-diet pie crust. This is the best pie crust that exists in the entire universe. It is unbelievably flaky and buttery. I have actually been told that the crust is TOO good and sometimes will outshine the filling, like in the case of a pumpkin pie that I made back in October.
I took it as a compliment to the crust rather than an insult to the pumpkin pie filling because I like to look at things positively.
Because I don't need an entire banana cream pie sitting around, I made six mini tarts. I had a half of one, my boyfriend had the rest. He LOVED it. He actually did a little dance when he tasted it. The pastry cream is thick, rich, and wonderfully spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. I used little red bananas, which actually have a bit of a cinnamon taste as well. If you can find them in your grocer, I suggest you try them. They are wonderful. The whipped cream was delicious and I loved the bit of tang from the sour cream.
Because I wanted to try something a bit different, I also made a deconstructed banana pie... as an ice cream sundae! I made a no-cook vanilla ice cream (seriously, this recipe is dangerous for me and my willpower) base and split it into three flavors - banana, cinnamon and nutmeg to mock the pastry cream, and then I mixed homemade graham crackers into the third flavor (which I topped with a little pie slice of Dorie's awesome crust).
HOLLA!!!!
This tasted EXACTLY like the banana cream pie, but even more dangerous because it is ice cream and I can't resist ice cream. I did a dance when I tasted this. In fact, all I heard was Katrina and the Waves' hit song "I'm Walking on Sunshine" as I danced around my apartment with a spoon in my hand. I looked like I was straight out of a scene of Look Who's Talking in a room full of dancing babies and a once-upon-a-time sexy John Travolta.
That looks so stinkin' good!!! YUM!!!!
Posted by: sabrina | April 07, 2009 at 11:31 AM
I bookmarked your recipe for no-cook ice cream base last week - and I just happen to have leftover sweetened condensed milk in the fridge ready to go!
You get the A+ for creativity this week, that's for sure.
Posted by: Megan | April 07, 2009 at 11:32 AM
Whoa Girl...you outdid yourself this week! Great job.
Posted by: susan | April 07, 2009 at 11:54 AM
I have enjoyed reading everyone's interpretation of this recipe so much. Your mini tarts are super cute.
Posted by: Eliana | April 07, 2009 at 12:02 PM
Your mini pies look great and the ice cream sounds fabulous!
Posted by: Janell | April 07, 2009 at 12:04 PM
Your little pies sound so good.
I'm so glad you liked it.
Posted by: chocolatechic | April 07, 2009 at 12:15 PM
Oh yum. You always have the best looking icecream. Your pies look incrdible too! I loved this recipe and I must make it again!
Posted by: Michelle | April 07, 2009 at 12:26 PM
It IS amazing - great post and photos! And thank you for stopping by my blog. I've been MIA due to LIFE, but I'm back (at least for a while).
Posted by: Madam Chow | April 07, 2009 at 12:29 PM
I think this is also one of my favorite TWD recipes, too!
I feel like a whale today, I consumed practically the whole pie last night. Can we say PMS?!!!! Ugh.
Looking at these TANTALIZING pics do not help! ;)
HOLLLLLAAAAAA BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Sugar B | April 07, 2009 at 01:07 PM
Ha! Loved the John Travolta/dancing babies reference. Your deconstructed pie sounds AMAZING. I think we would go crazy for it at my house.
Posted by: Elizabeth | April 07, 2009 at 01:25 PM
ooh, i LOVE the ice cream idea!! the mini pies look adorable. and great portion size:) why do i keep making the whole cake/pie/what have you?? i really need to mini-fy more!!
Posted by: kim | April 07, 2009 at 01:41 PM
Holy crap this all looks GOOD! Great ideas! So glad it was good enough to make your BF do a "happy dance"! Thanks for baking with me this week!
-Amy
www.singforyoursupperblog.com
Posted by: Amy (Sing for your supper) | April 07, 2009 at 01:56 PM
Your tiny pies are too cute!
Posted by: Erin | April 07, 2009 at 02:14 PM
Banana cream ice cream sundaes. Oh man. Wow! There possibly isn't more words to describe the goodness.
Posted by: Leanne | April 07, 2009 at 02:37 PM
You ate "half" of a small banana cream tart? HALF? Where do you get the willpower?
AND I love ice cream, too, and love the ease and adaptability of your no cook ice cream recipe.
Posted by: Jennifer | April 07, 2009 at 02:53 PM
Yer killin' me! All your ice creaminess, sigh! Won't you be my neighbor? ;)
Loved this pie. Love the idea of little tarts. GRRREAT, Teanna!
Posted by: Katrina | April 07, 2009 at 03:30 PM
Way to go the extra mile! I wish I'd made my custard into ice cream.
Posted by: Lindsey (Cafe Johnsonia) | April 07, 2009 at 03:45 PM
Oh, I love the little tart shells with the filling and topping...so cute! I just knew you would be one of those with the dollops and swirls this week! Some things ONE JUST KNOWS! It looks gorgeous...and the sound of that ice cream variation...well, I just can't go there, that's all there is to that...there would be no willpower involved. What is it about guys and banana cream pie...Mark is always just crazy over it and I have never once made it. Now, I am sort of obligated I guess! Great job on yours!
Posted by: Kayte | April 07, 2009 at 04:05 PM
Wow...it's dangerous for me to even read this entry or look at your pics. I think I feel my pants getting tighter already. The ice cream is fabulous! And of course, nice job with the Banana Cream Pie.
Posted by: pamela | April 07, 2009 at 04:29 PM
Oh yum! Love the banana cream pie split!
When was Travolta sexy? ;)
Posted by: Natashya | April 07, 2009 at 04:38 PM