Bananas Foster Black Bottom Cream Pie

Sometime last year, my colleague Tim gave me a Blackbottom Pie recipe that he's had for many years. He thought that it may have come from his great aunt but wasn't entirely sure. It was type written on aged typewriter paper and called for ingredients like "scalded rich milk" which according to this website, is "milk with some cream mixed in".
Unfortunately, even after trying to make the pie twice, I was left with chocolate custard that was more akin to chocolate milk. I'm not sure if the author forgot some important ingredient or if maybe the ingredients we have available now are just different, but it just didn't work. Instead of giving up though, I decided to scrap the old recipe and put together a more modern version of a Blackbottom Pie.

I knew just the recipe too! Several years ago, before my blog, I made an Epicurious Banana Blackbottom Pie that was so really amazing but still had some room for improvement. This time, instead of just using plain bananas, I decided to caramelized them Bananas Fosters style just for something different.

Bananas Foster Black Bottom Cream Pie
Yield: 12 smallish slices or 8 regular sized slices

This pie consists of the following layers, from top to bottom:

Layer 6: Shaved chocolate or chocolate curls (optional)
Layer 5: Whipped Cream
Layer 4: Vanilla Pastry Cream (Make this first, it must chill for at least 4 hours)
Layer 3: Bananas Foster
Layer 2: Chocolate Ganache
Layer 1: Graham Cracker Pie Crust

Assembly
1. Make the vanilla pastry cream and chill.
2. Make the crust. When it's cold, gently butter the outer ring of the spring form pan (if you're using one) and chill.
3. Once the crust is fully chilled, make the chocolate ganache and pour into the pie shell and chill again.
4. Make the bananas and chill.
5. On the same day you're ready to serve the pie, but at least an hour ahead, make the whipped cream and chill.
6. Spread bananas evenly over chocolate ganache

7. Spread pastry cream over bananas and smooth.
8. Spread whipped cream (or if you want a little something extra, pipe the whipped cream using a star shaped tip) and top with shaved chocolate (optional)
9. Chill at least one hour or overnight.

When you're ready to serve, gently remove outer ring of spring form pan. Be sure when you cut it that you really push down to ensure you cut through the crust.

Here are the recipes for each layer:

Graham Cracker Crust
1 1/2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted

Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter until well blended. Press mixture into a 9 inch spring form pan or pie plate.

Bake at 375F for 6 minutes, just until it starts to brown. Cool completely, cover, and then chill in the refrigerator for at least a half and hour or overnight.

Bananas Foster
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon teaspoons rum (optional)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 large firm to just soft bananas

In a large, deep skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in sugar, rum, vanilla and cinnamon. When mixture begins to bubble, place bananas in pan and mix gently to coat bananas in the caramel mixture. Cook until bananas are hot, 1 to 2 minutes.
Pour bananas in a non-plastic bowl and let cool for 1/2 hour on the counter. Then refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour or overnight.

Chocolate Ganache Layer
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat cream and butter in medium saucepan over medium heat until mixture is hot (do not boil). Remove from heat. Add chocolate and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Pour into prepared crust and spread evenly. Chill crust until chocolate ganache is firm, about 30 minutes.

Vanilla Pastry Cream
1 1/2 cups half and half or 3/4 cup of whipped cream and 3/4 cup of whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs (at room temperature)
1 large egg yolk (at room temperature)
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Bring half and half (or cream/milk mixture) to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. While the milk is warming up, whisk sugar, eggs, egg yolk and flour in medium bowl to blend. Once the milk is hot (but not boiling) very gradually, whisk in half of the hot half and half, whisking quickly so as not to scramble the eggs. Transfer to saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until mixture thickens and comes to boil, about 5 minutes. Boil 1 minute. Pour into medium bowl. Stir in vanilla. Press plastic onto surface of pastry cream. Cover; chill until cold, about 4 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Try not to eat the whole bowl :-))

Whipped Cream
1 cup chilled whipping cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (if you have clear vanilla, use that to maintain a super white vanilla)

Beat cream, powdered sugar and vanilla in large bowl until stiff peaks form. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.)