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| This is the pie from ba.com. Mine did not look nearly this good. |
Peanut Shortbread Crust
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups cups unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350°. Pulse peanuts in a food processor until coarsely ground. Set aside 1/4 cup for garnish. Pulse remaining peanuts until peanut butter forms.
Whisk flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to beat both sugars, peanut butter, and butter until well combined and mixture resembles wet sand, 2–3 minutes. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, until well blended, about 3 minutes (mixture will be clumpy). Gradually add dry ingredients and beat until just combined. DO NOT overbeat or the crust will become tough. Gather dough with your hands, place in prepared 9" pie dish, and press evenly onto bottom and up sides of dish. Bake until edges are deep golden brown, 15–17 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. According to BA, this can be done up to 2 days ahead.
Vanilla Pastry Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
In a medium saucepan, slowly bring milk and cream to a simmer. Meanwhile, whisk sugar, cornstarch, flour, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add egg yolks; whisk until thick and smooth. Whisking constantly, gradually add milk mixture to yolk mixture. Return to saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until very thick. BA said this would take 2-3 minutes. I disagree, as it took my mixture much longer. BE SURE it is very thick or it will never set correctly and will become runny upon serving as it reaches room temperature.
Transfer to a blender with butter and vanilla. Purée just until smooth, a/k/a NOT THAT LONG. Transfer to a medium bowl; press plastic wrap directly onto surface of pastry cream. Chill until set, at least 3 hours. According to BA, this also can be done up to 2 days ahead. I would recommend doing this step the evening before to ensure that it sets fully, while giving you plenty of time to whip up a new one if it does not.
Assembly
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup heavy cream, divided
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons bourbon, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon corn syrup
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ripe banana
Using an electric mixer or whisk, beat 1/2 cup cream and powdered sugar until medium-stiff peaks form. Cover and chill.
Stir sugar, 1 tablespoon bourbon, corn syrup, and 1 tablespoon water in a medium deep saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat, bring to a boil without stirring, and cook, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush, until sugar is deep amber in color, 6–8 minutes. Remove caramel from heat; whisk in remaining 1/4 cup cream, butter, and salt (mixture will bubble vigorously). Let cool for 5 minutes; whisk in remaining 1/2 Tbsp. bourbon and vanilla. Let bourbon caramel come to room temperature before serving. You can do this step hours before you need to serve it.
Spread 1/4 cup vanilla pastry cream evenly over bottom of peanut crust. Slice bananas into 1/4"-thick rounds. Layer half of the bananas over pastry cream. Top with 1 1/2 cups pastry cream. Arrange remaining bananas over; top bananas with remaining pastry cream. Garnish with whipped cream and reserved ground peanuts. Serve with bourbon caramel.
Devour.
