Banana Cream Pie, Emeril Style

• Crust
• 2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• Pie
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups milk (I used almond milk)
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped, pod and beans reserved
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 9 medium bananas, ripe but firm, sliced into 1/2 inch thick slices
• 1 recipe Italian meringue

1. Make the pastry cream:
2. -In a large saucepan, combine cream, milk, 1/2 cup sugar, and vanilla bean pod and seeds.
3. -Bring to a slow boil, whisking frequently. Remove from heat.
4. -In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, eggs, cornstarch, and 1 cup sugar until lightened in color and texture.
5. -Slowly whisk 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture. Do not stop whisking.
6. -Then, slowly add the egg mixture to the hot cream mixture in the pan, whisking constantly.
7. -Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until the cream has thickened substantially, about 5 minutes.
8. -Pour into a medium bowl. Allow to cool at room temperature about 30 minutes.
9. -Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming
10. -Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
11. Make the crust. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
12. -In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter.
13. -Pour into a pie pan and press in firmly with your hands, going all the way up the sides.
14. -Using a measuring cup press the bottom in very firmly.
15. -Bake for 15-25 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely.
16. Assemble the pie.
17. -Remove the vanilla bean pod from the pastry cream.
18. -Spread 1/2 cup pastry cream over the bottom of the cooled crust, smoothing into an even layer with a rubber spatula.
19. -Cover with bananas in a circular pattern. Press down on the bananas firmly but gently.
20. -Spread 3/4 cup cream over the bananas, then cover with another layer of bananas and press down on them.
21. -Spread another 3/4 cup cream over this layer of bananas and layer remaining bananas over the top, leaving about 1/2 inch border.
22. -Press down on bananas before topping with remaining cream.
23. -Cover the bananas entirely with the cream or they will brown.
24. -Cover the pie tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

crust, graham cracker crumbs, ubc, unsalted butter, pie, heavy cream, milk, granulated sugar, vanilla bean, egg yolks, eggs, cornstarch, bananas, recipe italian meringue

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/banana-cream-pie-emeril-style-52925321 (may not work)