Banana Cream Pie On A Caramel Pond

• CRUST
• 2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup mashed banana
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• FILLING
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 ripe bananas (about 1 1/2 pounds total), peeled, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
• Whipped Cream
• CARAMEL SAUCE (POND)
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1/2 cup half and half or light cream
• 2 tablespoons light colored corn syrup.
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1. FOR CRUST:
2. Preheat oven to 350u0b0F. Stir graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and mashed banana in large bowl to blend. Add unsalted butter and stir to moisten evenly. Press onto bottom and up sides of 10-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
3. Bake crust until set and pale golden, about 15 minutes. Cool completely.
4. FOR FILLING:
5. Whisk sugar, cornstarch, and salt in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Gradually whisk in whipping cream and whole milk, then egg yolks. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add vanilla bean. Whisk over medium-high heat until custard thickens and boils, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in unsalted butter and vanilla extract. Discard vanilla bean. Transfer custard to large bowl; cool completely, whisking occasionally, about 1 hour.
6. Stir custard to loosen, if necessary. Spread 1 cup custard over bottom of prepared crust. Top with half of sliced bananas, then 1 cup custard, covering bananas completely. Repeat layering with remaining bananas and remaining custard. If desired, spread whipped cream onto top of pie.
7. Chill banana cream pie until filling is set and crust softens slightly, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.
8. FOR CARAMEL SAUCE/POND
9. In a small heavey saucepan combine brown sugar and cornstarch. Stir in 1/4 cup water. Stir in half and half or light cream, corn syrup and butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until bubbly (the mixture may appear curdled). Cook and stir for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Let cool at room temperature for about 2 hours, stirring occassionally to maintain a smooth and buttery texture. May be made one day in advance of serving pie. Keep refrigerated.
10. SERVING AND PRESENTATION
11. Spoon caramel sauce onto dessert plates forming a shallow "pond" of caramel sauce. Cut pie into wedges and gently set on top of caramel pond. Dip a spoon into remaining caramel sauce and drizzle back and forth over pie wedge and serve.

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Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/banana-cream-pie-on-a-caramel-pond-1223964 (may not work)