Going Bananas: Banana Cream Pie is a Delicious Dessert!

Banana Cream pie is almost as American as apple pie! But given the special problems of transporting this fruit, it actually wasn’t until the late 1800’s that Americans began even eating bananas, but with the advent of refrigeration, they caught on quickly and by 1951, banana cream pie was designated as the favorite dessert of the U.S. Armed Forces!

Today, Americans eat some 80 bananas a year—including those which find their way into pies!

It has been hypothesized that the banana cream pie is actually a variation on a custard pie. However, instead of preparing a filling from ‘scratch’ it has become increasingly popular to use banana-flavored pudding or pie filling.

Because it is so easy to prepare, this pie lends itself to many variations, according to your palate. Adding chocolate or butterscotch pieces is a tasty supplementary decoration.

What’s the secret of a good pie? First of all, you need to start with over-ripe bananas—those with the little black spots are just fine—but make sure when you squeeze them that the fruit inside is still fairly firm. That way, they can be cut easily, avoiding a mess!

For a really simple, yet mouthwatering pie, here’s a recipe from the Food Channel’s Bobby Flay that will just make your holidays! Although Bobby calls for graham cracker crumbs, a pastry crust works just as well, so choose the one you’d most prefer. (You can even use pre-prepared crusts as there won’t be a huge taste difference.)

Start by preparing your banana pudding: just follow the directions on the back of the package. Then, arrange your sliced bananas on the bottom of the crust. Once the pudding has cooled, pour it in the pie plate and refrigerate until it's good and cold. Top it off with whipped cream, and enjoy!