Banana Pie with Vanilla Custard

Introduction

Banana Pie with Vanilla Custard layers sliced bananas into a cooled baked pastry shell, then covers them with a stovetop custard finished with butter and vanilla. The filling cooks on the stove in a few short stages, then the pie bakes for 12-15 minutes to set the top. If you use the leftover egg whites for meringue, you get a browned topping without adding more ingredients.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 3 large bananas or 4 medium bananas, sliced
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup all purpose flour or 3 Tbsp cornstarch
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 cups milk
• 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 ea. 9-inch (23 cm) baked pastry shell
• Meringue made from the leftover egg whites (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan.
2. Add milk gradually.
3. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until bubbly.
4. Cook and stir an additional 2 minutes and remove from burner.
5. Stir small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks, then immediately add egg yolk mixture to hot mixture and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
6. Remove from heat.
7. Add butter and vanilla and stir until smooth.
8. Slice bananas into the cooled baked pastry shell.
9. Top with pudding mixture and spread meringue (if desired) on top of the pie.
10. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 12-15 minutes.
11. Cool before serving.

Variations

• Use ⅓ cup all purpose flour instead of 3 Tbsp cornstarch. The custard sets a little softer and looks less glossy.
• Swap the baked pastry shell for a graham cracker crust. The base becomes sweeter and more crumbly, with less contrast against the soft filling.
• Skip the meringue made from the leftover egg whites. The pie is easier to chill, slice, and store, and the banana-custard layer stays the focus.
• Change the layering step by adding half the pudding mixture over part of the bananas, then the rest of the bananas, then the remaining pudding. That spreads the fruit more evenly through each slice.

Tips for Success

• Stir constantly once the milk goes into the saucepan, especially along the bottom and corners, so the custard does not scorch.
• When you stir a small amount of hot mixture into the egg yolks, do it gradually and keep moving the yolks so they temper instead of scrambling.
• Cook the custard for the full 2 minutes after it becomes bubbly, then for the full 2 minutes again after the egg yolks go in. That gives you a thicker, more stable filling.
• Use bananas that are ripe but still firm. Very soft bananas will break down under the warm pudding mixture.
• Cool the pie fully before serving so the custard firms up and the slices hold their shape.

Storage and Reheating

Store the pie covered in the refrigerator in a pie keeper or loosely wrapped with plastic wrap or foil for up to 3 days. For the cleanest top, chill it until cold before covering.

Freezing is not recommended. The custard can separate, the bananas turn watery, and meringue loses its structure.

Reheating is not recommended. Serve the pie cold, or let a slice sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes if you want to take the chill off.

FAQ

Can I use flour instead of cornstarch?

Yes. Use the ⅓ cup all purpose flour listed in the ingredients; the filling will be slightly softer and less glossy than a cornstarch-based custard.

How do you know the custard is thick enough?

It should be bubbling and thick enough to coat a spoon before you remove it from the heat. If it still looks thin after the first cooking stage, keep stirring over medium heat until it reaches that point.

Can you make this pie a day ahead?

Yes. It slices better once fully chilled, so making it the day before works well. If you use meringue, the texture is usually better on the first day.

Do you have to use the meringue?

No. You can leave it off and serve the pie as a straight banana custard pie. That also makes storage simpler.