Speaking of babies, my own baby boy, at 17 1/2, is fast approaching that inevitable time of departure to parts unknown, so it's tempting for me to spoil him these days with things he loves to eat, such as his all-time favorite Banana Pie Dessert.
Banana Pie Dessert
6 Tablespoons Butter, melted
1 package (8 oz) Cream Cheese softened to room temperature
½ cup Powdered Sugar
1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed
1 ½ cup granulated Sugar
4 large Eggs
6 cups Milk
½ teaspoon Salt
3 teaspoons Vanilla
2 Tablespoons Butter
½ cup plus 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
4 large Bananas
½ pint Whipping Cream
½ cup Powdered Sugar
Here's what you need:
Instructions for
Filling: In large, heavy bottomed
sauce pan, mix 1 ½ cups Granulated Sugar with the Cornstarch. Slowly whisk in the 6 cups Milk.
Crack 4 Eggs into small bowl and whisk together. Set aside.
Heat milk mixture on medium heat, stirring constantly, until
it starts to thicken and is almost ready to boil. Remove from heat and slowly add 1 cup or so
of this hot mixture into the eggs while whisking constantly, then stir the egg mixture back into the pan. Place back on heat and bring
to a boil stirring constantly so it doesn't scorch or stick. When it is thickened and bubbly, remove from heat.
Remove dessert from fridge and slice three large bananas
evenly over the top. Spoon cooled
pudding mixture over this. You will only need to use about 3/4 of the pudding--maybe a bit less. Put the rest in fridge and use within two or three days. Return the dessert to
fridge, covered with plastic wrap.
Add 3 teaspoons Vanilla and 2 Tablespoons of Butter. Stir and let cool in fridge until at room
temperature, stirring occasionally as it cools.
This should take about ½ hour.
As you can tell, I didn't let my cream cheese sit out and get softened long enough, so I had a bit of trouble spreading the mixture clear to the edges.
When the dessert is fully cold and set, whip the cream, then add
the second ½ cup Powdered Sugar along with ½ teaspoon of vanilla. Spread this over the dessert.
Cut into squares and garnish with remaining banana. Serves 12 to 15.
NOTE: For an easier
version of this dessert, you can use Jello Instant Vanilla Pudding in lieu of
making your own pudding filling. You will need 2
small boxes mixed with 3 cups milk, and it will fit into a regular sized oblong
glass pan instead of using an extra big one or two small ones like my version calls
for. It’s not quite the same, but still
good. If you choose to follow my recipe
to make your own vanilla pie filling (which is easy to do), realize that
you will only use about ¾ of it, because it makes more than you will need. Put the remaining portion in the fridge and
eat within a few days.
