Banana Cream Pie

Another co-workers birthday and this time I attempted to make a pie from scratch.

Banana Cream Pie (adapted from epicurious.com)

Crust:

9 graham crackers, processed to fine crumbs (about 1 cup)

2 tablespoons sugar

½ banana

2½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

6½ tablespoons (2.8 ounces) sugar

¼ cup (1.1 ounces) cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1¼ cups whipping cream

1¼ cups whole milk

3 large egg yolks

½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1½ tablespoons unsalted butter

¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
4½ ripe bananas, peeled, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices

For crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Process graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and banana until evenly mixed and there are no visible chunks of banana. Add unsalted butter and process to moisten evenly. Press onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch glass pie dish. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes. Bake crust until set and pale golden, about 15 minutes. Cool completely.

For filling:

Whisk sugar, cornstarch, and salt in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Gradually whisk in whipping cream and whole milk, then egg yolks. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add vanilla bean. Whisk over medium-high heat until custard thickens and boils, about 6 minutes. Pour through mesh strainer into medium bowl. Whisk in unsalted butter and vanilla extract. Cool completely, whisking occasionally, about 1 hour. Remove vanilla bean.

Stir custard to loosen, if necessary. Spread ¾ cup custard over bottom of prepared crust. Top with half of sliced bananas, then ¾ cup custard, covering bananas completely. Repeat layering with remaining bananas and remaining custard. Chill banana cream pie until filling is set and crust softens slightly, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day. Cut pie into wedges and serve with sweetened whipped cream, if desired.