Banoffee Pie in a Quick Shell
Kerry made this cake – similar to banana cream pie over butterscotch on a shortbread crust. Oh my! I had to eat my portion and Steve’s too (he’s allergic).
I can’t begin to tell you how lovely it is! It is also a very british concoction – of course. The crust tasted just like shortbread.
Invented at the Hungry Monk in 1972, Banoffi Pie (originally known as Banoffee Pie), is still as popular today as it was the first time it appeared on the menu. Below is the recipe Kerry made, based on ‘The Deeper Secrets of the Hungry Monk’ in 1974 »
- shortcrust pastry (see below)
- 1.5 tins condensed milk (13.5 ounces each)
- 1.5 pounds firm bananas
- 375ml of double cream
- ½ tsp instant coffee
- 1 tsp sugar
- Lightly grease a 10in x 1.5in flan tin. Line this with the pastry thinly rolled out. Prick the base all over with a fork and bake blind until crisp. Allow to cool.
- The secret of this delicious pudding lies in the condensed milk. Immerse the cans unopened in a deep pan of boiling water. Cover and boil for 3 hours making sure that the pan does not boil dry (see CAUTION below).
- Remove the tin from the water and allow to cool completely before opening. Inside you will find the soft toffee filling.
- Whip the cream with the instant coffee and sugar until thick and smooth.
- Now spread the toffee over the base of the flan. Peel and halve the bananas lenghtways and lay them on the toffee. Finally spoon or pipe on the cream. Serves 8 people.
*CAUTION: It is absolutely vital to top up the pan of boiling water frequently during the cooking of the cans. 3 hours is a long time and if they are allowed to boil dry the cans will explode causing a grave risk to life, limb and kitchen ceilings.
Hint from Kerry – I would suggest boiling more tins of milk than the two – it makes a great apple dip and never goes bad 🙂 Boiling the tins wasn’t as labourous as stated – pretty passive exercise – I kept a pot of water on the stove next to the pot with the milk and kept adding throughout the 3 hours.
Shortcrust pastry – Kerry made this right in the plate; no rolling! The original recipe has photos »
- 1 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 tbsp. Sugar
- Quick Dash of Salt
- ½ cup Vegetable Oil
- 2 tbsp. Milk
- Mix the Dry Ingredients directly in the Pie Plate. Draw a little circle in the middle with your finger.
- Pour the Oil and milk into a jar and put the lid on tightly. Give it a good shake. (This part keeps the Recipe Low in Cholesterol and much more ‘Heart-Healthy’ than using Lard or anything else to make the Pie Shell.) Pour this mixture into the circle and mix it gently with a fork until completely blended.
- Press the Pastry against the sides of the Pie Plate, first, then fill in the bottom.
You can Bake this at 400 F for about 15 minutes if you need a baked shell, or just go ahead and fill it and bake for about 45 minutes at 350 F for an unbaked “Filled” pie shell.
