This month we present an all time favorite, not just here on the islands, but across the world….Banana Cream Pie. It even has it’s own day in the U.S. – March 2 – “Banana Cream Pie Day”!  

Undoubtedly, the ingredient that makes or breaks this recipe is the banana itself. Here on the islands, we generally have our choice of banana types, Morgans, Lady Fingers, and the local favorite, Apple Bananas” for instance.

Make sure that your bananas are just about perfect. Not too ripe. You want them to be able to last a few days once the pie is finished.

Our recipe comes straight from Pounders Restaurant at the Hukilau Marketplace. The custard is made entirely from scratch, no instant pudding here! Also, there’s not a lot of sugar added to the recipe. We let the bananas be the main sweetener.

We hope you enjoy this version. It was a blast to make!

Banana Cream Pie

Take a prepared single pie crust. Cook it in the oven at 350o for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Set to the side to cool.

In a medium saucepan, thoroughly mix:

3 cups   milk

1 tbl       vanilla

¼ cup    butter (melted)

Stir in:

¼ cup    sugar

Turn heat to medium low to simmer while you prepare the egg mixture.

In a separate bowl, mix:

2            eggs

¼ cup    sugar

Take a wire strainer or hand sifter and add:

3 tbl       cornstarch

Using a whisk, blend the egg mixture until smooth.

HINT: for a smoother custard, take 2 – 3 spoonful of the egg/sugar mixture and add it to the 3 tbl of cornstarch in a small bowl. Using a fork or wisk,  stir this mixture until thoroughly blended.  Add to the remaining eggs/sugar and stir until smooth.

Slowly add 1/3 cup of warmed milk mixture to the egg mixture, mixing with a whisk as you add, to avoid the formation of lumps. Set to the side.

Turn the heat up to medium and bring the remaining milk mixture to a soft boil. Let boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Take the egg mixture and slowly stir it into the milk mixture over medium heat. You must stir constantly at this stage, or the milk will burn. Continue stirring until it thickens.

Pour 1/3 of custard mixture into the bottom of the pie shell. Layer  2 – 3 bananas (depending on size), sliced on top. Next, pour the remaining custard on top and spread evenly.

Let cool to room temperature (approximately 30 – 45 minutes). Place in fridge and let set (4 – 5 hours)

Top with your favorite whipped topping (i.e., Cool Whip, sweetened whipped cream, etc.) Sprinkle with chopped macadamia nuts (optional)

CLICK HERE to view this recipe as a video!

Nina Jones, a mainland gal from way back, is now a transplanted Islander. With her husband of 39 years, she volunteers at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Her hobbies include swimming, traveling, studying and writing about what she is learning from the various Polynesian cultures. Her blogs focus on their history, beliefs, practices and – as an added bonus – delicious food! To her, Polynesia is not just a place to visit, it is a way to live and she is very honored to be able to be a part of their amazing world.