Personal Banana Cream Pies

Owner Tomas Sohlberg
Stella’s Bakery Cafe

Assembling these creamy pies is almost as much fun as eating them!

Ingredients
Crust
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cold and cubed
5 Tbsp shortening
1 small glass ice water

Custard
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp corn starch
3 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
3 1/2 cups half and half cream
1 Tbsp butter
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups greenish bananas, sliced

Topping
1 L whipping cream
1 Tbsp vanilla
3 Tbsp sugar

Method
Crusts

1. In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients except water.
2. Add small amounts of ice water until dough comes together.
3. Roll into 7″ rounds and fill four 4″ tart shells. Top each shell with an empty pie plate or pie weights.
4. Bake on 350˚F for 15-20 min.

Custard

1. In a double boiler, place cornstarch, egg yolks, sugar and cream.
2. Over medium heat, whisk constantly until very thick.
3. Remove from heat. Add butter, vanilla and bananas.
4. Pour into crusts and cool completely.

Topping

1. Whip all ingredients until stiff. Spread onto cooled pies.

Yield 12 servings