Banana Cream Pie

Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). In a medium mixing bowl, combine 180 grams graham cracker crumbs, 25 grams granulated sugar, and 85 grams melted unsalted butter, stirring until all crumbs are evenly moistened and clump together when squeezed. Press the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 9-inch (23cm) glass pie dish to form an even 1/4-inch thick layer. Bake for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature (about 30 minutes) before adding any filling.

In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk together 100 grams granulated sugar, 24 grams cornstarch, and 1 gram fine sea salt until fully blended. Slowly whisk in 480 ml whole milk and 120 ml heavy cream, mixing until no dry lumps of cornstarch remain. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof silicone spatula, for 8-10 minutes until it thickens to a loose pudding consistency and bubbles gently around the pan edges. Remove the pan from stovetop heat.

In a small heatproof bowl, lightly whisk 4 large egg yolks until smooth. Slowly pour 120 ml (1/2 cup) of the hot thickened milk mixture into the yolks while whisking nonstop to prevent the eggs from curdling from sudden heat. Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan, return to medium-low heat, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of the spatula (it will leave a clear, unbroken line when you run your finger through it). Remove from heat, stir in 28 grams cold cubed butter and 10 ml vanilla extract until fully smooth. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the custard surface to prevent a tough skin from forming, then chill for 30 minutes until lukewarm.

Once the graham cracker crust is fully cooled and the custard is lukewarm, arrange half of the 450 grams sliced bananas in a single, slightly overlapping layer across the crust bottom. Pour half the lukewarm custard over the first banana layer, spreading gently to cover all fruit completely. Add the remaining banana slices in a second even layer, then top with the rest of the custard, smoothing the top surface with an offset spatula. Press plastic wrap directly onto the exposed custard surface, and chill the pie in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours until the filling is fully firm and set.

When you are ready to serve the pie, pour 240 ml well-chilled heavy cream, 15 grams powdered sugar, and 2.5 ml vanilla extract into a large pre-chilled mixing bowl. Whip with an electric hand mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until soft, billowy peaks form that hold their shape without drooping. Stop mixing immediately once peaks form, as overwhipping will cause the cream to turn grainy and separate into butter and whey.

Remove the fully set pie from the refrigerator and peel off the top layer of plastic wrap. Dollop the freshly whipped cream over the set custard, spreading it into gentle swirled peaks across the entire top surface of the pie. Garnish with thin extra banana slices and 15 grams toasted sliced almonds if desired. Slice into 8 equal wedges with a sharp knife and serve immediately.