Every time I bite into a piece of Banana Cream Pie (page 109), I immediately start thinking about banana splits. Shortly after coming up with the cream pie recipe, it occurred to me that with the addition of just a few more ingredients, I could re-create a classic banana split, which includes bananas, strawberries, and pineapple, ensconced in a cream filling. With a Marshmallow Fluff Whipped Cream topping, a sprinkle of walnuts, and a drizzle of hot fudge sauce, Ultimate Banana Split Pie is as close as you can get to the real thing. For best results, make this pie the day you intend on serving it so that the bananas do not turn and the juices don’t break down the cream.

　　

Ingredients

Makes one 9-inch pie, 6 to 8 slices (level: moderate)

　　

Crust

1 prebaked 9-inch Traditional Pastry Piecrust shell (page 6)

　　

Cream filling

1/2 cup sugar

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

　　1 1/3 cups whole milk

　　3/4 cup water

　　3 large egg yolks, beaten

　　2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

　　

Fruit Filling

1 cup Hot Fudge Sauce (page 191)

　　3/4 cup thinly sliced bananas

　　8 fresh strawberries, mashed

　　1/2 cup pineapple, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

　　2 cups Fluff Whipped Cream (page 193)

　　1/2 cup chopped walnuts

　　1 Maraschino cherry

　　

Step 1

To prepare the cream filling, in a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, salt, and flour. Add the milk and water and place the saucepan over medium heat, constantly whisking and scraping the sides of the pan. Monitor the mixture carefully; when it begins to simmer and becomes thick and bubbly (after approximately 4 minutes), cook for 1 more minute. Once the cream thickens to the point where you can insert a spoon into the mixture and the cream sticks to the spoon when removed (with none of the actual spoon visible), remove the saucepan from heat. Place the egg yolks in a small bowl, and stir in 1/4 cup of the heated mixture. Pour the egg yolks back into the cream and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring and scraping the sides constantly to prevent burning. Stir in the vanilla.

　　

Step 2

To prepare the fruit filling and assemble the pie, smooth 3/4 cup of the hot fudge sauce evenly across the bottom of the pie shell. Cover the hot fudge with a thick layer of bananas. Spread the strawberries on top of the bananas, and then the pineapple over the strawberries. Pour the cream filling over the fruit, covering it completely. Place the pie in the refrigerator to chill and settle for at least 2 hours.

　　

Step 3

Evenly distribute the fluff whipped cream across the top of the pie. If you choose, use a pastry bag to pipe the whipped cream or offset spatula to spread it to create a more finished look. Sprinkle the walnuts over the whipped cream and drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup hot fudge sauce over the top. Place a single cherry on top of the pie and serve.

　　From Perfect Pies: The Best Sweet and Savory Recipes From America’s Pie Baking Champion © 2011 by Michele Stuart. Reprinted with permission by Ballantine Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Buy the full book from Penguin Random House, Amazon, or Bookshop.