Banana Cream Pie In Almond Crust – Bon Appetit

FILLING
2 tb Water
1 ts Unflavored gelatin
1 c Milk (do not use low-fat or
-nonfat)
1 Vanilla bean, split
-lengthwise
3 lg Egg yolks
1/3 c Sugar
1 tb Cornstarch
1 3/4 c Chilled whipping cream
1/3 c Powdered sugar
3 Ripe bananas, peeled,
-thinly sliced

FOR CRUST: Cream butter and sugar in processor until smooth and
fluffy. Add egg and blend until smooth. Add flour, almonds, baking
powder and salt and process just until combined. Gather dough into
ball. Flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour. (Can
be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Let stand briefly at room
temperature to soften before continuing.)

Press dough into 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish, trimming excess even
with edge of dish. Crimp edge decoratively. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350’F. Line crust with foil. Fill with dried beans or
pie weights. Bake 12 minutes. Remove beans and foil and bake until
crust is set and edges are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer
to rack and cool.

FOR FILLING: Pour 2 T water into small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over.
Let stand 10 minutes to soften. Pour milk into heavy medium sauce-
pan. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into milk; add bean. Bring to
simmer. Whisk yolks, 1/3 C sugar and cornstarch in medium bowl until
thick. Gradually whisk in hot milk. Return mixture to same saucepan
and cook over medium heat until mixture just begins to boil and
thicken, whisking constantly, about 3 minutes. Add softened gelatin
and stir to dissolve. Strain mixture into medium bowl. Press plastic
wrap onto surface of pastry cream and chill until cool, about 30
minutes.

Using electric mixer, beat cream and powdered sugar in large bowl to
stiff peaks. Carefully fold 1 1/2 C whipped cream into pastry cream.
Fold in bananas. Spoon mixture into pie crust. Spoon remaining
whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Pipe
whipped cream over filling, covering completely. Chill until set, at
least 3 hours and up to 6 hours.