Day of Pi - March 14 (3.14) Banoffee Pie

Banoffee Pie

Yesterday, March 14th was PIE day (3/14).  If you remembered math back in school, pi (3.14) was the number used to calculate equations with circles.  Not an officially holiday, but why not celebrate with a desert rather than a math equation.

My homemade Banoffee pie

In honour of pie day I wanted to make - Banoffee pie.  You may ask what is that?  Take toffee and bananas, with whip cream - and there's your pie.  The history of the pie originated in the pubs of UK. I've always loved pub food.  Lucky for us, it came across the pond.  Plus, as some people who know me, I'm not much of a baker - this is a no bake pie.

Now if you want to try Banoffee pie like it's supposed to be - go to Urban Diner.  As a recommendation by the waitress, I tried a slice and I was hooked. It's delicious! I always get a slice when I'm at the restaurant - plus they make really good comfort food there too.

With all due respect to apple, cherry and pumpkin pie - Banoffee has taken first prize in my personal pie contest.

My first attempt at making this desert turned out very tasty - but runny.  Sad, since I followed a recipe from one of my favorite celebrity chefs and food goddesses: Nigella Lawson (NL) - see the recipe here.  I thought I had found the perfect launch pad to make this desert, but it didn't come out as I hoped for.  (I still think she's a goddess - I heart her) I think Urban Diners' Banoffee is a hard act to follow.

My hubby always mentions I never really follow recipes or directions well (cause deep down I'm a rebel!). I like to look at recipes and think: I wonder what would happen if I added this?...or hum, I bet it'll taste better if I removed this and added this... Though, with this recipe I DID follow Nigella's instructions (I only tweaked the banana part and added Skor pieces to the topping).  So OK, I followed the basics of the recipe - but added my spin. Maybe I just can't help it.

Next time, I'll make it with one can of condensed milk, instead of two (it was too rich and it ran a bit) and I'll cook the milk longer. My condensed milk at 2.5 hours looked like a light tan color, not a rich caramel color. I might even grease the plate to let the crust come off easier. Plus, I'll add MORE bananas. My cooked bananas was tasty, and would be a great topping for any cake or ice cream. 

So, even though this wasn't my best pie/desert attempt in looks only - it still tasted really really good (hubby and I already had two slices - OK, three). We never had a "slice", it was almost a scoop. Maybe, in your kitchen - it will turn out fine.  

In any case I will prevail in making a better Banofee pie. That will be my mission.

Banoffee Pie 
2.5 -3 hours cook time for toffee, and cooling time - Next time I'm cooking longer 3-4 hours
15-30 minutes assembly
set overnight

Ingredients:

Crust:
16-18 Digestive Cookies (plain flavour)
1/2 cup Butter (1 stick)

Filling:
2 cans of Condensed Milk (375 ml)  - Next time, I'm using 1 can
2 Large Bananas, sliced - Next time, more bananas!
2 tbs Butter
Pinch of Salt
1 tea of Brown Sugar
2-3 tbs of Water *only if you need, you can add more or less
1/2 tea of Vanilla 

Topping
1 cup of Whipping Cream
2 Skor bars or 1/2 cup of toffee bits

Tools:  Pie plate, fry pan, food processor, microwave safe bowl, measure cups/spoons, spatula, hand mixer, large bowl (for whipping cream) and a large pot.

Toffee:
Do the night or day before: boil the tins.
*If you are lucky to find a tin of toffee or Dulce De Leche you can use it instead.  They are sold at some stores, but I wanted to follow Nigella's recipe.

To make your own toffee, take the two tins of condensed milk, remove the paper labels and place into a large pot of water.  Do not open the tins.  You are going to boil the milk inside the tins. 

Make sure the tins are submerged in water (at least 3" of water above the top of the tin) Boil the water and the tins for 2 - 3 hours.  

Make sure that the water doesn't evaporate - this is very important.  As noted from NL: "BE SURE THAT THE TINS ARE SUBMERGED IN WATER AT ALL TIMES - OR ELSE YOU WILL BE CLEANING THE CEILING!!!" Her words, not mine. 

Once the time has passed, let the tins cool off completely. 

As I mentioned above, I think I'd use one can of condensed milk instead of two and I'm going for 3.5 hours next time. Goal - I want my toffee to look like Urban Diner's.

Boiling the tins

Crust:
*You can use a ready made graham crust. No judgments here.

Place the cookies in the food processor and pulse until they are sandy crumbs.  In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter and mix with the crumbs.  Press onto the bottom and sides of the pie plate. 

Next time, I might lightly grease the pan and I placed the pressed crumb plate in the freezer for 5 minutes to harden and set the butter. 

Filling: 
NL used raw banana's (you can too) - but my rebel heart I did this:
In a fry pan, melt the butter in medium heat, add sliced bananas, vanilla, pinch of salt and the brown sugar. Stir, if it gets sticky - add a few tbs of water just to help out. Don't add too much water. Once the bananas start to soften more and turn a bit creamy (about 2-3 min) remove from heat. Make sure it's not runny. Let it cool.

Yummy bananas!

Open the can(s) of cooked condensed milk, and poor into the crust. Spread with a spoon or spatula. (I should have seen that one can was enough - but I was following instructions).

Then spread the bananas and on top of the toffee.

Topping:
In a large bowl add the whipping cream and whip with the hand mixer until it's thick and peaks form.
Spread on top of the bananas.

I use a chilled stainless steal bowl to make whip the cream and I place a large piece of parchment paper around the mixer to reduce splatter.  I'm glad that that their isn't any additional sugar added to the whip cream, the toffee is rich enough.

Place the broken pieces of Skor bar into a food processor and pulse until it its crumbs. Shake over the whip cream.  (This is my contribution - how can you not like Skor on top of anything?)

Cover the pie and serve or refrigerate until serving.

A bit runny - but still yummy

Even if this pie ended up runny and a little messy - it's still really good.  Maybe in the next couple of months I'll attempt this again from what I learned yesterday.  That is what's great thing about cooking.  You are always learning, even if you end up with a runny pie as long as it tastes good - enjoy it.  People are always looking for perfection - even at the first attempt. I see cooking, as in everything else in life - it's progress that counts, not perfection.  
My hubby an I had a runny pie - no big deal.  It hit the spot after dinner, (and again as a midnight snack).  

Enjoy and see you next time.  And Nigella - I still idolize you!