Do you read Vogue?  I do.  Or rather, I flip through the pages every month.  I’m not a Vogue girl.  My idea of being fancy is shopping at JCP instead of Old Navy.  But for some unknown reason, I’ve been receiving Vogue for free for two years.  I feel too bad to not at least look through it.  Sometimes I rub the perfume samples on my wrists.  That’s the most I get out of Vogue though.

Why can’t I suddenly start getting Real Simple or O Magazine for free instead?

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie

Recipe from Joy the Baker

Ingredients:

For the crust:

1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tbl sugar
a pinch of salt
4 tbl unsalted butter, melted

For the chocolate layer:

2 ounces of dark chocolate, melted

For the peanut butter layer:

3/4 cup peanut butter–I used Jiffy smooth PB.

For the banana layer:

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
4 egg yolks
2 cups whole milk
2 tbl cold unsalted butter
3 ripe bananas, thinly sliced

For the whipped cream layer:

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tsp powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

To make the crust:

Use a rolling pin or food processor to crumble the graham cracker.  In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and salt.  Melt your butter in a separate bowl.  Combine the dry ingredients and melted butter until consistently moist.  I used my fingers.  Pour the ingredients into a 9 inch pie plate.  Press the crumbs with your fingers to create an even layer of crumbs on the bottom and  sides of the pie plate.  If the crumbs seems too dry, add more melted butter.  Don’t be afraid to firmly press the crumbs into the pie plate.  You can use the bottom of a glass to help press down too.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Put your pie plate in the freezer while you wait for the oven to heat.  Once heated, bake pie crust for 10-12 minutes.  Remove crust from oven and set crust aside to cool.

To make the chocolate layer:

Melt your 2 ounces of dark chocolate.  You can use a doubler boiler.  I just melted it in the microwave using 30 second increments and stirring in between.  Once your chocolate is cooled, pour over your  crust.  Spread with a spatula.  Place pie plate in the refrigerator for chocolate layer to harden.

To make the peanut butter layer:

Simply take your pie plate out of the refrigerator.  Add the peanut butter over the hardened chocolate layer.  Spread with a spatula.  Set pie plate aside to start on the bananas.

To make the banana layer:

In a bowl,  combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt.  Add in the egg yolks.  Whisk until smooth.  Meanwhile, bring milk to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat.  Take 1/2 cup of the hot milk from the saucepan and add it to yolk mixture in a slow, steady stream.  Whisk constantly as you’re adding the 1/2 cup milk.

Now, pour the entire yolk mixture into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk.   Cook and whisk constantly until the mixture begins to bubble.  It will eventually become think.  You’ll need to whisk for 6-8 minutes!

Remove from heat.  Add the 2 tbl unsalted cold butter.  Stir until butter melts.  Fold in your sliced bananas.  Pour into the crust and spread evenly.

Place plastic wrap directly on surface of the banana filling.  The plastic wrap will help to prevent a skin from forming.  Refrigerate for 2 hours.  (You can use these 2 hours to catch up on your Vogue reading.)

To make the whipped cream layer:

Beat together the whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form.  Spread whipped cream over your banana filling.  If you want to be a little fancy, add some chocolate shaving on top!

This pie is YUM!!!  It’s a fun way to ramp up a traditional banana cream pie.  Do take your pie out of the refrigerate about 20-30 minutes before serving!  The chocolate layer will need time to come to room temperature and cut easier.

Enjoy!!