Banana goodness

 Let me start this post by saying that I am somewhat picky about bananas.  I like them plain (or with peanut butter because there is very little that doesn't go well with PB).  I like banana bread and banana muffins.  I do NOT like banana flavored candies, gum, milkshake, ice cream.  I love banana pudding (recipe to follow) but I like it oh so much better without bananas.  So, as Maddie said, "Mom, you don't like banana pudding.  You like vanilla pudding with lots of mushed up cookies and whipped cream on top."- true.  All that to say that when I first saw the below recipe, I wasn't all that excited about it, because it looked like it would fall in the camp of things I don't like with bananas in them.  Oh how wrong I was!  This has got to be one of the best pies I have ever made and it was oh so easy to make.  Oh, and I got this out of Kelly Minter's Bible Study book on Ruth- WONDERFUL if you haven't done it!


Who in the world knew (a lot of people apparently besides me- according to my mom this technique has been around a while).  Anyway, who knew that you could take this....

and do this....  (boiling water )

and three hours later come out with this...

Yummy!

 Maddie helped me layer the toffee and bananas (I used VERY thin slices of banana given my history with bananas in desserts...)

The combination of the vanilla and instant coffee in the whipped cream was divine. And of course, I opted for the chocolate on top- is there ever a choice when chocolate is the option??

 The only thing that I"m not sure about on this pie (the taste was by far one of the best desserts I've had in a long time) is the consistancy of the toffee.  Would it have gotten thicker if I boiled the cans longer.  Should I have let it set in the freezer and then moved it to the frig?  It was just very soupy and runny, but if I kept it in the freezer, the whipped cream got too hard- any thoughts? 

Banoffi Pie

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
10 TBSP butter, melted
2 14 oz cans sweetened condensed milk
3 large bananas
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/3 cups confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp powdered instant coffee
freshly ground coffee or chocolate shavings

Mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter and press mixture into 9" pie plate.  Bake for 5-8 minutes.  Cool.   Immerse unopened cans of sweetened condensed milk in a deep pan of boiling water.  Cover and boil for 3 hours, making sure the cans remain covered with water (add water as needed).  Remove the cans from the water; allow to cool completely before opening.  Whip the cream with the sugar, vanilla, and instant coffee until thick and smooth.  Spread 1/3 of the toffee over the base of the crust, slice the bananas and lay them on the toffee.  Spoon another 1/3 of toffee over the bananas.  Layer more bananas and more toffee.  Finally, spoon or pipe on the cream and lightly sprinkle with the freshly ground coffee or chocolate shavings.

A few weeks ago I made homemade banana pudding and layered it in a trifle dish.  Sadly, I forgot to take a picture- it was beautiful and oh so good.  This banana pudding recipe came from Jason's Pappaw's mother.  It's as basic as they come.  I layered it in the trifle dish with digestif cookies (similar to graham crackers, but better- can't get nilla wafers here), followed by the pudding, a thin layer of bananas, repeat all layers and top with whipped cream.  Yummy!


Mamaw's Banana Pudding

6 egg yolks
3 c. sugar
3 c. milk (I used whole-not looking for low fat here...)
6 TBSP flour
8 TBSP butter
3 tsp vanilla

Beat egg yolks with milk.  Add sugar, flour and butter and cook over medium heat stirring constantly until thickens (15-20 minutes).  Add vanilla and let cool.