Bananas Foster Pie

Courtesy of Loren Wood

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1/3 cup ice water
• Vanilla Pastry Cream, recipe follows
• 3 to 4 medium bananas
• Foster Sauce, recipe follows
   

Instructions:

1. To the work bowl of a food processor, add flour, sugar, and salt; pulse to combine. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. With food processor running, add water in a slow steady stream. Process until mixture comes together. Remove from food processor, and shape into a flat disk on a lightly floured surface. Wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
    
2. Remove from refrigerator, and let dough stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
    
3. Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to ¼-inch thickness. Fit dough in the bottom and up sides of a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Trim and crimp as desired. Prick dough with a fork; line with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights. Bake until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool completely.
    
4. Spread Vanilla Pastry Cream in prepared crust, smoothing the surface.
    
5. Peel and slice bananas crosswise ¼ inch thick. Layer bananas in a shingle fashion over pastry cream. Drizzle with Foster Sauce. Serve immediately.

Vanilla Pastry Cream

(Makes about 2 1/2 cups)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved
• 3 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
   

Instructions:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring half-and-half and vanilla seeds to a simmer over medium-high heat. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, and sugar. Add flour and cornstarch to egg mixture, whisking until smooth.
    
2. Gradually whisk hot half-and-half mixture into egg mixture; transfer mixture to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture boils for 1 minute and thickens. Remove from heat; stir in butter until melted.
    
3. Strain mixture through a fi ne-mesh sieve into a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Store, covered, in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Foster Sauce

(Makes about 1 cup)

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons dark rum
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
   

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together cream, rum, and vanilla; set aside.
    
2. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring sugar and ¼ cup water to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Once mixture begins to boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, without whisking, until mixture registers 350° on an instant-read candy thermometer, 10 to 15 minutes.
    
3. Remove mixture from heat, and, being very careful of the hot sugar mixture, whisk in butter until melted. Whisk in salt and cream mixture until smooth. Let cool for at least 1 hour. Whisk sauce before using.
    

Note: In the 62 years since Chef Paul Blange created Bananas Foster at Brennan's restaurant, it has become a Crescent City classic. In this modern reprise, we traded the iconic desserts vanilla ice cream for a delightfully simple pastry cream and made its rum-caramel sauce even more decadent.