Best Banana Cream Pie With Graham Cracker Crust
Who doesn't love a good slice of banana cream pie? It's the perfect dessert for any occasion, and with its creamy banana filling and crispy graham cracker crust, it's sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. In this article, we'll show you how to make the best banana cream pie with graham cracker crust that you and your guests will love. So, let's get started!
The Ingredients You Will Need
Before we dive into the recipe, let's take a look at the ingredients you will need for the best banana cream pie with graham cracker crust:
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 ripe bananas, sliced
- 3 cups whole milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 4 large egg yolks, beaten
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Whipped cream for topping (optional)
Now that you have all the ingredients, let's dive into the recipe.
The Graham Cracker Crust
The first step to making the best banana cream pie is to make the graham cracker crust. Here's how:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and 1/4 cup of granulated sugar together in a mixing bowl.
- Pour the mixture into a 9-inch pie dish and press it firmly to cover the bottom and sides of the dish. A flat-bottomed measuring cup works well for this.
- Bake the crust for about 7-8 minutes or until it's lightly golden brown. Remove it from the oven and let it cool completely before adding the filling.
The Banana Filling
Now that the crust is ready, it's time to prepare the banana filling:
- Slice the bananas and arrange them in the cooled graham cracker crust. Set the crust aside.
- In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the whole milk, 3/4 cup of granulated sugar, and salt over medium heat until it starts to steam. Do not boil.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the cornstarch and beaten egg yolks together until smooth.
- Add a cup of the hot milk mixture to the egg mixture and whisk quickly to temper the eggs. This will prevent them from scrambling.
- Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk mixture and whisk continuously over medium heat until the mixture thickens into a custard-like consistency. This should take about 5-7 minutes.
- Once the mixture has thickened, remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Pour the mixture on top of the sliced bananas in the graham cracker crust, making sure it's evenly spread out.
- Cover the pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until the filling is set.
Alternative Toppings
If you want to add a little something extra to your banana cream pie, you can top it with whipped cream or a sprinkle of cinnamon. You can also add chocolate shavings, caramel sauce or chopped nuts to the top to make it even more delicious. The options are endless!
Conclusion
There you have it, the best banana cream pie with graham cracker crust recipe that's sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. Whether you're making it for a special occasion or just as a treat for yourself, this dessert is sure to impress. So, give it a try and let us know what you think!