Paula Deen Banana Cream Pie

Paula Deen banana cream pie turns a homemade egg yolk custard, fresh sliced bananas and whipped cream into a silky chilled pie in 2 hours 30 minutes. It's an easy make-ahead Southern dessert for potluck tables, church suppers or the holiday table, and it's no-bake once the crust is done and cooled.

Let the custard cool completely, about an hour, before it meets the crust and bananas. Spoon it in warm and the bananas go soft and the filling weeps instead of slicing clean.

Paula blind bakes the crust with pie weights for 20 minutes, so the bottom stays crisp under all that creamy custard. Her filling uses cream, milk and three egg yolks, which sets richer and thicker than the boxed pudding most versions rely on.

Paula Deen Banana Cream Pie

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Course: DessertCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Medium

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

480

kcal

A cornstarch custard made with cream and egg yolks cooks until thick, then cools and layers with fresh bananas inside a crisp blind-baked crust. Chilling lets the pie set into clean slices under a fluffy cloud of whipped cream.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour, for dusting
  

• 1 9-inch unbaked prepared piecrust
  

• ½ cup sugar
  

• ⅓ cup cornstarch
  

• ¼ teaspoon salt
  

• 2 cups heavy cream
  

• 1 cup whole milk
  

• 3 large egg yolks
  

• 2 tablespoons Butter
  

• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  

• 4 bananas, sliced, plus sliced bananas for serving
  

• Whipped cream , for serving
  

Directions

• Chill the crust: Line a 9-inch pie plate with the unbaked piecrust and chill it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to overnight. If it sits for more than 2 hours, cover it lightly with plastic wrap.
• Blind bake the crust: Preheat the oven to 375°F and line the dough with parchment paper or foil. Fill it with dried beans or pie weights, bake for 20 minutes, then lift out the weights and paper.
• Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk together ½ cup sugar, ⅓ cup cornstarch and ¼ teaspoon salt. Doing this first keeps the cornstarch from clumping when the liquid goes in.
• Add the cream and yolks: Gradually whisk in 2 cups heavy cream and 1 cup whole milk. Then whisk in the 3 egg yolks until the mixture looks smooth.
• Cook the custard: Set the pan over medium-high heat and whisk constantly for about 6 minutes. It's ready once the custard thickens and comes to a boil.
• Finish the filling: Take the pan off the heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons butter and 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract. Then scrape the custard into a large bowl.
• Cool the custard: Let the custard cool completely, whisking occasionally, which takes about 1 hour. Skipping this wait is what makes a pie runny.
• Layer the pie: Slice 4 bananas and alternate layers of banana and custard inside the baked crust. Then cover the pie and chill it until it's set.
• Top and serve: Pile whipped cream over the chilled pie just before serving. Finish with a few more sliced bananas on top.

Tools for this recipe

• Pyrex 9.5-inch glass pie plate, Mrs. Anderson's ceramic pie weights, OXO 11-inch balloon whisk, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, 8 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

How do I keep the bananas from turning brown?

Squeeze a little lemon juice over the slices right after you cut them, as Paula suggests. Slice them just before layering, since the longer they sit out, the browner they get.

Can I use a graham cracker crust instead of a pastry crust?

Yes, a graham cracker crust works and saves you the blind baking. Press it into the pie plate and chill it, though the flavor will be sweeter and the texture crumblier than a flaky crust.

Can I make banana cream pie the day before?

Yes, you can bake the crust and make the custard a day ahead, then assemble when you're ready. For the best look, add the whipped cream and top bananas right before serving.

How long does banana cream pie keep in the fridge?

Covered, it keeps in the refrigerator for about 2 days. After that the bananas darken and the crust softens, so it's best eaten fresh.

Why is my custard lumpy or runny?

Lumps usually mean the cornstarch wasn't whisked in well or the custard wasn't whisked constantly while cooking. Runny custard usually means it never came to a full boil, so keep cooking until it thickens and bubbles.