Polish and Ukrainian Easter eggs on display. The newest pysanki surround the hen. The hen, made of straw and feathers, is a treasured gift from my late cousin, Marie Wacht. Here is a link to the company that sells these beautiful eggs and more... https://www.bestpysanky.com/
I decided to make a different dessert for Easter and this English-inspired pie recipe jumped out at me. I found it on the New York Times recipe section and revised it to suit my taste. The Banoffee Pie has layers of dulce de leche, bananas, coffee-flavored whipped cream topped with mini milk chocolate chips in a graham-cracker crust. Dulce De Leche (sweetened carmelized canned milk) is common in Poland and is used for a Mazurek Pie often made for Easter. The Banoffee Pie was quite yummy and fits right in with Polish traditions!
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| A Banoffee Pie makes a statement at your dessert table! |
Banoffee Pie
INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 9 whole graham
crackers)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups (1 can) store-bought dulce de leche (about 20
ounces)
3 large bananas, peeled and sliced about 1/4-inch thick
FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM:
1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
2-3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar to taste
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules (optional)
Chocolate shavings
PREPARATION
YIELD One 9-inch pie
Step 1 - Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar and salt. Stir until fully incorporated and sandy. (When you pinch a bit of it between your fingers, it should hold together.) Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Using your fingers or a flat-bottomed cup, press the mixture into the pie plate and up the sides. Make sure it is well packed. Bake until set, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool at room temperature.
Step 2 - Spoon the dulce de leche into the pie crust and
spread into an even layer. Pile in banana slices into a relatively even layer
(they should overlap). Transfer the pie to the refrigerator while you make the
whipped cream.
Step 3 - Make the whipped cream: Using a handheld mixer or
stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream, sugar,
vanilla extract and instant coffee, if using, on medium-high speed until firm
peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Spread the whipped cream on top of the bananas,
making sure to spread the whipped cream to the edge, totally covering the
bananas (this will help prevent them from browning). Chill the pie, uncovered,
for 2 hours and up to overnight.
Step 4 - To serve, sprinkle the pie with chocolate shavings
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| I thought the pie would be too sweet because of the dulce de leche, but the recipe works as written! |
Note: I made this pie on Easter Sunday and served it that day. If I make this pie again, I would make it the day before serving so that the bananas would meld into the dulce de leche. It's the Tuesday morning after Easter, and as I write this I am eating a leftover piece of pie--so delicious.
