By Sohla El-Waylly
- Total Time
- 1¼ hours, plus 3 hours’ chilling
- Rating
- 4(355)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Floral honey, aromatic cardamom and a whipped cream bursting with banana goodness bolster the flavors of this classic dessert. The addition of freeze-dried bananas to the cream layer intensifies the taste of the fruit in each bite. This pie is a bit of a project, so break up the process to make it easier: Make the caramel up to one month in advance; bake the crust up to three days ahead; and fill the crust 24 hours before serving. The topping is best when added just before slicing, as the caramel will begin to weep and melt rapidly.
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Ingredients
Yield:12 to 16 servings
- ½cup/100 grams granulated sugar
- ¼cup/80 grams mild honey
- 2tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3tablespoons heavy cream
- ¾teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
- 8¾ounces/250 grams vanilla wafers (3 to 4 cups)
- 2tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
- 4tablespoons/56 grams unsalted butter, softened or melted
- 1tablespoon heavy cream
- 5green cardamom pods
- 3 to 4ripe medium bananas (555 grams)
- ½cup/100 grams granulated sugar
- ¼cup/30 grams cornstarch
- ¼teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
- 1large egg
- 2large egg yolks
- 2cups/480 grams whole milk
- 2tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
- ½heaping cup/30 grams freeze-dried bananas
- 2tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
- 1¾cups/400 grams heavy cream
- 1teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Dark chocolate bar, for garnish
For the Caramel
For the Crust
For the Filling
For the Topping
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (14 servings)
380 calories; 23 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 43 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 33 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 274 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
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Make the caramel: Heat a small, heavy saucepan over medium. Sprinkle just enough sugar to evenly cover the bottom of the pan and cook, without stirring, until melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle over remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring with a fork to dissolve and waiting for each addition to melt before adding the next, until all the sugar has melted into a syrup, 3 to 4 minutes. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until deeply browned and just starting to smoke, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, immediately add honey and butter, and carefully stir to combine. Add cream and salt, return to medium heat, and simmer for 30 seconds. Set aside to cool. (Caramel can be made up to 1 month in advance and stored at room temperature.)
Step
2
Make the crust: Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a food processor, combine wafers, sugar and salt, and process until finely ground. You should have about 2½ cups crumb mixture. Add butter and cream, and pulse until well-combined and crumbs are moistened. (Alternatively, place wafers, sugar and salt in a zip-top freezer bag and crush with a rolling pin. Transfer to a large bowl, add butter and cream, and mix well with a stiff rubber spatula until combined.) Transfer crumb mixture to a standard 9-inch pie plate.
Step
3
Using the backs of your fingers, press the crumbs evenly against the walls of the pie plate. Press the remaining crumbs against the bottom of the pie plate. Use the sides and bottom of a dry measuring cup to firmly pack the crumbs along the sides and bottom of the pie plate. (If the crumbs aren’t holding together, they may be too coarsely ground; process further and try again.) Set on a sheet pan and bake until the crust is golden brown, smells toasty and feels dry to the touch, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool completely. (Crust can be prepared 3 days in advance and stored tightly wrapped at room temperature.)
Step
4
Make the filling and assemble: Using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, crush the cardamom pods until the husks are torn and the seeds are cracked. Set aside. Spread about three-quarters of the caramel over the crust. Peel the bananas, slice into ¼-inch-thick coins and arrange on top of caramel.
Step
5
In a medium saucepan (preferably with sloped sides), whisk together sugar, cornstarch and salt. Add egg, egg yolks and cracked cardamom, and whisk to combine. Whisk in milk and cook over medium, whisking constantly (take care to get into the corners of the pot), until thickened and just beginning to bubble, 5 to 6 minutes. After the first bubble, continue cooking, whisking constantly, for 1 full minute. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until fully melted and incorporated.
Step
6
Strain custard through a fine-mesh strainer directly into the banana-lined pie shell. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to smooth the top of the custard. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard (or don’t, if you like pudding skin) and refrigerate until fully chilled, at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours before serving.
Step
7
Make the topping and decorate: In a food processor, combine freeze-dried banana, sugar and salt. Blitz until finely ground. Add cream and vanilla, and use a fork to roughly mix, moistening all the banana powder. Pulse together until thickened, spreadable and doubled in volume, taking care not to overwhip, 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
Step
8
Scrape the banana whipped cream over the chilled custard and use the back of a spoon to create swoops and swirls. To garnish, drizzle with remaining caramel, warming it if needed to make it runny, and shave chocolate with a vegetable peeler on top. Use a sharp knife dipped in warm water and wiped dry to cut clean slices.
Tip
- Be sure to cook the custard for a full minute after spotting the first bubble to deactivate amylase, a starch-digesting enzyme found in eggs. With the cornstarch, there’s no risk of the eggs curdling, but if you skip that final minute, your filling will liquefy after it cools in the fridge.
Ratings
4
out of 5
355
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Cooking Notes
stacy
I made this pie for a family gathering (with a couple modifications) for a family gathering and it received compliments all around. I was a bit nervous that I wouldn’t be able to pull off the caramel but Sohla’s instructions and a quality pan made the difference. I caramelized the bananas to intensify their flavor, pulling from the Caramelized Banana Pudding NYT cooking recipe for this. My family has pretty vanilla taste and wouldn’t like cardamom in the pudding so I used, well, vanilla.
Jamie
Matt, regarding your question about using Cardamom in this recipe: Green cardamom pods is not a spice staple in my cupboard. While considering this recipe and researching the ingredient, I decided to purchase a small amount from Penzey’s and was glad I did. The spice added a complex layer of flavor while remaining inoffensive. It did not overwhelm the dish as I was afraid it might. I’m not sure I personally could have accomplished the same flavor profile using ground cardamom.
Matt
When someone actually makes this with the cardamom, can you share your verdict? Occasionally like a little cardamom in coffee, but I'm struggling to imagine whether this is a good idea or one of those perilous bits of culinary frippery that spoil a simple pleasure.
Clara
Why are people so resistant on using cardamom without even trying the recipe? Why even comment?Absolutely delicious. I would make this a thousand times over as is.
Sarah Campbell
This was not as much work as it might seem. The cardamom is subtle and without it the custard would be quite boring. It tasted better after a full 24 hours in the fridge. The one issue is that even though the caramel was quite firm, it became very weepy once assembled. I end up spooning it out of the pan and onto the slices. Mistakes I made: packing the crust too tight, not using all the bananas called for because I didn’t think the custard would fit (it did and would have with all the bananas).
josh
Nothing about this one worked for me, unfortunately, even though I usually have good luck with NYT cooking. The custard was too stiff, the caramel intruded far too strongly on the rest of the pie, and the cardamom was unnecessary.
Banana cream pie that beats all others
Your guests are sure to love the complex flavors of this banana cream pie. At out Thanksgiving meal, the pie was a favorite among all!
Cindy S
I wouldn’t make this again. The honey caramel didn’t taste good at all. It also made this pie far too sweet. The pudding has far too much corn starch and was stiff as a board. I recommend finding an alternate recipe. I did like the cardamom flavor, but there wasn’t enough of it. After tasting the pudding, I added more ground cardamon.
emily
I whipped whipped cream, too long despite the strong morning. It still tasted great. If you’re worried about an untraditional flavor, I would leave out the honey in the caramel and add an extra tablespoon of sugar! We also left out the cardamom.
Tobias
Due to an egg allergy, how should I go around replacing the egg & egg yolks in the filling? I'm not much of a baker.
Diane Lipman-Groves
Easiest way to evenly disperse a crumb crust into a 9" pan is to use another 8" pie plate to press gently over and into the 9" pan filled with cookie crumbs (before baking.) Prevents the thicker build-up of excess crumbs ithroughout the pie plate providing an even dispersem*nt. And it's quick!
Jen
Just a heads up! remember to find the little Silica Gel Packet/Moisture Absorber Drying Bags before blending your freeze dried banana slices. I did not remember this until it was too late…Happy to report that the cardamom IS delicious and subtle in the custard.
Val
Delicious. Gorgeous. Over the top dessert. Make it from scratch. You’ll be so proud of yourselves.
joanna
This was a truly phenomenal pie and an absolute joy to make! I couldn't find vanilla wafers so I substituted equal parts graham crackers and it was delicious. Also, I could only find "solar dried" bananas which were chewy rather than brittle, but they worked well in the topping. The textures of the crisp crust, chewy caramel, the bite of the banana, and soft custard and cream were lovely. Not too sweet, and the cardamom really adds a depths of flavor.
abbie
I used one teaspoon of cardamom and it turned out great! The pudding in the middle tasted savory with the cardamom which was complimented nicely with the sweet whipped cream and sugary crust. Also, instead of using freeze dried banana I folded in one mashed banana into the whipped cream.
thomaslearnstocook
This recipe is absolutely delicious. I only had biscoff cookies which made for an excellent base. I was worried about the cardamom, but it was perfect. A little different and very inoffensive, even to guests with a very vanilla palate (pun intended). 1.5x to fill my deep dish pie to the brim, arranged my banana coins in offset spirals, and it was a stunner.
Korla
So good. I think it needs a little more salt, but otherwise great and, honestly, not that much work if you break it up.
Rufus Xavier Sasparilla
Suggestions: Added a generous sprinkling of Maldon salt on caramel layer. For filling, except for bananas and butter, put everything else into bullet blender, cooked as suggested, then strained filling to remove any cardamom pod detritus. Caramelized bananas and deglazed pan with a Tbsp of bourbon.
Clara
Why are people so resistant on using cardamom without even trying the recipe? Why even comment?Absolutely delicious. I would make this a thousand times over as is.
Christine
I say no to the cardamon. Use a vanilla bean instead. Caramel, banana and dark chocolate. What more do you need?
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