Banana Cream Pie

This week we reached a new milestone in our house. Yesterday I found S, my 20 month old son, on the trampoline. That sounds like fun doesn't it? ...except he climbed up all by himself.

Later that night I heard S yelling for me from his room. I thought he wanted to play hide and seek... but no. He had climbed onto his change table and wanted me to get him down. I guess I should be glad that he didn't try to get down himself.

Today... today my cheeky little boy decided to try and use the kitchen drawer handles to climb onto the kitchen bench. 

Our new milestone this week (the 'I have no fear climbing phase') means that next time I can't find my little climbing monkey I should perhaps check the top of the lemon tree. 

Just like the hairy monkeys from the zoo, my little monkey loves bananas too; but what can you do with a bowl full of way too ripe bananas (when you don't want another loaf of banana bread)?

This Banana Cream Pie is based on this recipe from Life is Great. The banana cream is a smooth, soft custard pie filling that would be just as well suited to a bowl and a giant spoon as it is to the chocolate pie crust. 

Oh... did I mention it's gluten, dairy and sugar free?!?!

BANANA CREAM PIE
Adapted from Life is Great
Serves 16; approximately 163 calories per slice

INGREDIENTS

CHOCOLATE PIE CRUST (adapted from Against all Grain)
1/4 cup almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour (available from health food and specialty stores)
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup coconut oil, softened
1/4 cup maple syrup (you could substitute honey etc)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

BANANA CREAM
2 very very ripe bananas
1/3 cup coconut cream (taken from the top of a can that's been in the fridge overnight)
1/4 cup milk (almond, coconut etc)
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 Tablespoons arrowroot
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 egg yolks
2 1/2 teaspoons gelatin
3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
3/4 cup whipped coconut cream- measure after whipping (see recipe below)
1 ripe banana, sliced

INSTRUCTIONS

CHOCOLATE PIE CRUST
Preheat the oven to 175C (350F).
Grease/Spray an 20cm (8 inch) springform cake tin or pie dish.
Mix the dry ingredients in a mixer.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and blend until combined.
Form a ball with the mixture, wrap it in plastic and place in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Place the mixture ball between 2 sheets of plastic/baking paper and roll until thin.
Using the base of a larger cake tin, cut out a circle and place in greased springform tin.
Trim the edges of the tart to make a nice clean edge.
Place the tin in the fridge for 10 minutes before baking for 13-15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

BANANA CREAM
Combine the very, very ripe bananas, coconut cream and milk in a blender and puree until totally smooth.
Add in the maple syrup, arrowroot, salt and egg yolks. Blend until no banana lumps remain.
Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan.
Before heating the banana mixture, evenly sprinkle the gelatin over 1/4 cup cold water. Allow it set for 4 minutes
Whisk the banana mixture in the saucepan over medium-low heat.
Continue to whisk and stir as the mixture will thicken and has a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pan.
Bring to a boil and continue to whisk vigorously for 3-4 minutes.
The mixture will be quite thick.
Pour the thickened banana mixture in a blender (make sure you have cleaned it from earlier use) and add the gelatin mixture and melted coconut oil.
Blend until smooth.
Transfer the mixture to a heatproof container and leave in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

CONSTRUCTION
Remove the banana cream from the fridge and place in a bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment.
Add the whipped coconut cream and whisk on low until combined, and no cream streaks remain.
Pour 1/2 the mixture in the cooled pie crust then place the sliced banana evenly around the pie.
Cover with rest of the mixture.
Optional, drizzle Chocolate over the top of the pie.
Allow pie to set in the fridge overnight.
Keep refrigerated.

COCONUT WHIPPED CREAM
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup Coconut cream (see above notes on types of coconut creams), opened and in fridge for min 5 hours
1 teaspoons maple syrup
1 teaspoons vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS
Scoop the thickened cream from the tin, discarding the watery liquid at the bottom.
Place cream in mixing bowl and beat using whisk attachment.
Add maple syrup and vanilla to taste and continue whisking until thick.
Keep refrigerated.