Serves: 8
Total Calories: 380

CRUST
about 50 vanilla wafer, preferably Nabisco Nilla Wafers
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, such as Baker's Angel Flake (optional)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
FILLING
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon banana extract, preferably pure
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
pinch of salt
2 cups half and half, , divided
MERINGUE
4 egg whites (reserved from filling)
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar or distilled vinegar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 small ripe bananas, sliced

1. To make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray and set aside.2. In the bowl of a food processor, process the cookies until they are fine crumbs. You should have 11/2 cups.3. In a medium bowl, mix together the crumbs, coconut, if desired, and butter until the crumbs are coated. Lightly press the mixture evenly across the bottom of the prepared pie pan. Bake until the crust is golden and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely before filling.
4. To make the filling: Separate the eggs, reserving the whites for the meringue. (The whites can remain at room temperature for up to 4 hours.) In a small bowl, whisk together the yolks, vanilla, and banana extract until blended, and set aside.
5. In the top of a double boiler, whisk together the sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk in 1/4 cup half-and-half to form a smooth paste. Place over simmering water, and gradually stir in the remaining 13/4 cups half-and-half. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
6. Slowly whisk 1/4 cup of the hot half-and-half mixture into the egg yolk mixture until blended. Slowly whisk in another 1/2 cup. Then slowly whisk the hot egg yolk mixture into the remaining hot half-and-half in the top of the double boiler. Place the double boiler over the simmering water and cook until the mixture is quite thick, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes (or until an instant thermometer reads 180ºF). Remove from the heat and push through a fine sieve into a bowl. Press plastic wrap onto the filling and chill for 2 hours or longer.
7. To make the meringue: In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer set on medium-low speed, beat the 4 reserved room-temperature egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Increase to high speed and beat in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until stiff and glossy. Do not overbeat.
8. to assemble: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spread half the chilled filling in the prepared piecrust. Arrange the sliced bananas to cover the filling. Carefully spread the remaining filling over the bananas. Spread the meringue over the filling, sealing the meringue right up to the edge of the pie plate. Use the back of a spoon to swirl or pull the meringue up into points. Bake until the meringue peaks are a delicate brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool away from a draft. Serve immediately. This pie is best when the bananas and meringue are fresh (when the bananas sit in filling too long their water loosens the filling). Refrigerate any remaining pie, and enjoy it within a day.


From Holiday Baking. Text copyright © 2005 by Sara Perry. Photographs copyright © 2005 by Leigh Beisch. All rights reserved. First published by Chronicle Books LLC, San Francisco, California.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 8
Total Calories: 380
Calories from Fat: 173

More Recipes from the Holiday Baking Cookbook:
Apricot Jam and Coconut Squares
Banana Wafer Pudding Pie
Brown Sugar Benne Cookies
Cashew Caramel Cracker Bars
Chocolate Peanut Butter Surprise Cupcakes
Church Lady's Frosting
Church Supper Carrot Cake
Cream Cheese Frosting
Kwanzaa Puzzle Cookies
Mama's Yummy Sweet Spoonbread Souffle
North African Mint Tea
Soul-Satisfying Biscuits and Gravy
Southern Comfort Sweet Potato Pecan Pie
Wild Rice and Dried Cherry Muffins