Where Do I Begin?

Oh my goodness. I don't even know where to begin with this pie. It was amazing! Let's see, first it's made with a vanilla wafer crust. Don't buy the premade crust for this, it's so easy to make your own and it's better and fresher. Then it's layered with bananas, homemade vanilla pudding and more vanilla wafers. The original recipe called for a meringue topping, but I opted for whipped cream!

I made this for my father-in-laws 69th birthday a couple weeks ago. We took a day trip to a small town here in Texas and ate at a kitschy cafe supposedly known for their pies. We had lunch then ordered their pie sampler complete with 4 slices of pie and 4 scoops of ice cream. As the waiter brought it out, we started singing and the whole restaurant joined in. It was completely gluttonous but the birthday boy was surprised and happy so that's all that matters.

Look at all those luscious layers!

I was afraid that my father-in-law would be "pied out" and that my little ol' homemade banana pudding pie wouldn't live up to the famous restaurants pie but it did and he wasn't! And I have to say it was much better and way cheaper than their pies. It's really hard to compare though because they didn't have any cream pies on their menu and all their pies were made with traditional pie crust. This one was creamy and dreamy, sweet but not too sweet. The crust still had great texture and the bananas stayed firm, while the wafers in the center softened. All the ingredients just complimented eachother perfectly.

This really was an excellent pie and I will definitely make this pie again. My grandpa is a banana pudding lover and I know he'd love this version too! The recipe may seem long but I broke it down in steps so it would be easier to follow. Please read the notes and the recipe before heading to the kitchen to make this. The original recipe I have was in Southern Living Best Ever Cake & Pies Magazine and it's different than the one online and it's confusing so I've done my best to make it easier for you so you'll make this pie. Like for this weekend, maybe or an upcoming birthday?

Banana Pudding Pie
adapted from Southern Living

• Vanilla Wafer Crust (recipe below)
• Vanilla Pudding (recipe below)
• Whipped Cream (recipe below)
• 3-4 medium bananas, cut into slices
• 20 vanilla wafers plus more for decoration (see note)

Vanilla Wafer Crust:

• 2 1/2 cups (about 30) crushed vanilla wafers
• 1/2 cup butter, melted

Vanilla Pudding:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 cups milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Whipped Cream:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

For the crust:
In a medium bowl, stir together crushed vanilla wafers and butter until blended. Firmly press on bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate.
Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack, and let cool 30 minutes or until completely cool.
For the pudding: Whisk together sugar, flour, eggs, yolks and milk in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, 10-12 minutes or until it reaches the thickness of chilled pudding. (Mixture will just begin to bubble and will be thick enough to hold soft peaks when whisk is lifted. It must be thick and slightly bubbly to set up properly!) Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.
Transfer to a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap, making sure to press the plastic directly on top of the custard so it doesn't get a "skin" on it. Refrigerate til completely cool. (Can be made up to a day in advance.)
Whipped Cream: In a medium bowl, whip cream on medium high speed til soft peaks form. Slowly add the sugar and vanilla and continue to beat til thick and stiff. Don't overbeat or you'll have butter!
Assembly: Arrange half of the banana slices evenly over bottom of cooled crust. Spread 1/3 of cooled pudding over bananas, then layer with 20 vanilla wafers. Spread 1/3 more pudding over vanilla wafers, then add the remainder of the banana slices and cover them with the last of the pudding. Spread the whipped cream over the entire pie and decorate with more vanilla wafers if desired.
The layers from the bottom up should be: vanilla wafer crust, bananas, pudding, vanilla wafers, pudding, bananas, pudding, whipped cream
Refrigerate at least for 4 hours. Overnight is best. Consume within 2 days.
NOTE: It's best to prepare the pudding in advance to allow it to chill properly. If you prefer this pie be topped with a meringue then there's no need to refrigerate the filling. See the original recipe here.
Also I used an entire box of vanilla wafers for the pie. If you want to decorate with additional wafers then get a second box to be on the safe side.

Make me. Eat me. Be happy.

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Oh and look at the newest addition to my cake stand collection. I have an obsession but I love them and I use them all. Well, except for one but I will eventually :-) I picked this one up at an antique market after we ate lunch for my FIL's birthday. It's so pretty and I'll be using it this weekend on my Easter buffet! It's the Harp design by Jeanette Glass in Ice Blue. ::sigh::