Mom's Banana Cream Pie

Pudding

(This can be made from scratch, which I’ve sometimes done – it has a lighter taste and you can control the sweetness – but the packaged pudding is just fine & what I usually do.)

Cook per package directions – stir slowly but constantly & don’t rush it, or the bottom will burn. It takes longer than you think… Don’t let the pudding stick to the bottom – keep stirring!

Once it comes to a full boil (as in, you can’t stir down the bubbles), count one minute & remove from heat. Cover top with plastic wrap (pressed down onto the surface) so it doesn’t form a ‘skin’ & let it cool in the ‘fridge while you do the next two steps.

Graham Cracker Crust

Crush the crackers & sugar into relatively uniform coarse crumbs. (I use the Cuisinart these days, but you can also put them in a bag & use a rolling pin.) Toss crumbs with melted butter & press firmly & evenly into the bottom of the 8x8x2 pan.

Bake: 375°F 10 min (max – it shouldn’t brown); remove & let cool.

Chocolate Seal

This isn’t part of the original recipe, but the purpose of this layer is to keep the crust crisp, to create a barrier so the pudding doesn’t make the crust soggy. The most common error is trying to melt the chocolate at too high a heat, which will ‘burn’ the chocolate & make it grainy. If that happens, toss it & start over – no way to recover from that. Better to wait too long & have the melting take a long time.…

Version 1:

Bring the milk, butter, & sugar to a boil; let boil 1 minute, then remove & let cool 5 min. Stir in chocolate chips & stir ‘till they melt smooth. Pour over cooled graham cracker crust & spread to the edges, sealing in the crust. Let cool in ‘fridge.

Version 2 (the quick version):

Wait ‘till the crust has cooled about 10 minutes, then sprinkle evenly ½ Cup of chocolate chips over the crust; wait a bit, then as they melt from residual heat, spread them out evenly to the very edges.

Bananas

When the pudding is room temperature, spread a thin layer over the chocolate, cover with sliced bananas. I like a lot of bananas & pack them in, so I either do two levels or overlap the slices to fit more in. Cover bananas entirely with the rest of the pudding -- no bananas can be peeking through, or they’ll turn brown. Try to avoid any air pockets around the bananas, ‘cause every exposed surface will brown.

Put the pie back into the ‘fridge & let cool ‘till just before serving, then:

Whipping Cream

Be sure the cream, bowl, & beaters are cold. Beat cream & sugar to stiff peaks (hint: goes faster when you beat the cream to soft peaks & then slowly beat in the sugar). Spread evenly over the pudding to the edges, sealing in the pudding, & sculpting the top into little peaks or a cute pattern.

Serve!

You can also whip the cream hours in advance & refrigerate the pie, but it’s best if topped & eaten the same day. (Dustin's addendum: Personally I find it best after it's refrigerated for 12 hours, but each stage of a banana cream pie's life cycle is a unique and beautiful moment with idiosyncrasies to be savored)