Banana Cream Pie

A cream pie is a type of pie filled with a rich custard or pudding that is made from milk, cream, flour, and eggs. It can come in many forms, including vanilla, lemon, lime, banana, coconut, and chocolate. A constant feature of all cream pies is the whipped cream topping.

Yield:

8 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)

Ingredients

1. 1 1/4 cups gingersnap crumbs (about 25 cookies, finely crushed)
2. 2 tablespoons sugar
3. 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4. 1 egg white, lightly beaten
5. 1 tablespoon stick margarine, melted
6. Vegetable cooking spray
7. 1/2 cup sugar
8. 2 tablespoons cornstarch
9. 1/4 teaspoon salt
10. 1 egg
11. 1 cup 1% low-fat milk
12. 1 tablespoon stick margarine
13. 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
14. 2 cups sliced banana
15. 1 1/2 cups frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed
16. Chocolate curls

Directions

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; stir well. Add 1 tablespoon of egg white (discard remaining egg white) and 1 tablespoon melted margarine; toss with a fork until moistened. Press into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Bake at 325° for 20 minutes; let cool on a wire rack.
2. Combine 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch, salt, and egg in a large bowl; stir well with a wire whisk, and set aside.
3. Heat milk over medium-high heat in a medium heavy saucepan to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Remove from heat. Gradually add hot milk to sugar mixture, stirring constantly with whisk. Return milk mixture to pan. Add 1 tablespoon margarine, and cook over medium heat 4 minutes or until thickened and bubbly, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low, and cook an additional 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Place pan in a large ice-filled bowl for 25 minutes or until egg mixture cools to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove pan from ice. Fold in the sliced banana, and spoon mixture into prepared crust. Spread whipped topping evenly over filling, and top with chocolate curls. Cover loosely, and chill 4 hours.

Notes