Mini Banana Cream Pies

For my New Year's Eve party, I decided to make mini banana cream pies, and they were a hit! They were ALL eaten before midnight! (P.S. - Happy 2017!) This recipe is a remix of regular banana cream pie, and it doesn't have the classic graham cracker / vanilla wafer crust! :o Without further adieu, let's bake!

For this recipe, you will need:

1 package puff pastry, thawed

2 cups milk (I used whole, but you can use whatever you please)

4 large eggs, separated

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup cornstarch

2 tbsp cold, unsalted butter, cut into chunks

3 ounces white chocolate chips

3 bananas, sliced to your liking of thinness

1 cup + 2 tbsp heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. For the super simple crust, take the thawed puff pastry and cut it in half. Using a rolling pin, roll out the puff until it is nice and thin. You can choose to have a thinner or thicker crust, but the baking time will vary. Bake until just golden brown. Take out and let cool.

Pour the milk into a medium saucepan and bring to a bare simmer. Keep mixing so that a skin doesn't form.

Separate the egg yolks and whites. Put the egg whites into a bowl, and place them in the fridge (You could also make meringue for the topping of this pie). Whisk with the sugar until pale and frothy. Add in the cornstarch and vanilla and mix until well combined.

Okay, here comes the hardest part. You may want someone to help you with this step, as the eggs can scramble quite easily. SLOWLY, and I cannot emphasize that enough, pour half of the milk into the egg mixture, whisking vigorously. Pour the egg mixture with some of the milk in it back into the saucepan and whisk quickly over medium heat until the mixture resembles loose pudding. Transfer to a bowl, and use a spatula to mix frequently. If there are any lumps, pour the mixture through a sieve before pouring it in the bowl.

Pour the 2 tbsp of heavy cream in a small bowl and add the white chocolate. Melt for about 30 seconds and then mix to form the "ganache".

Take the bananas and peel them. Slice the bananas into slices approx. 1/4 inch in thickness. Again, you can choose to make them thinner of thicker.

NOTE: I used an extra tiny ramekin as a taste tester, and that is what I am assembling in the photos.

Start by adding a spoonful of the ganache on top of the crust. Add the custard until it almost reaches the edge of the dish.

Okay, so here we go. You can either choose to do whipped cream or meringue for the topping. I went this whipped cream because of time. Take the cup of heavy cream and vigorously whisk it. You can add powdered sugar if you like, but if you do, make sure to add it in the beginning; adding it ad the end will form lumps.

Add the whipped cream on top, and garnish with a slice of banana. Voila! That is it! I hope you enjoy it!

Oh! For the cover image, I added more whipped cream and another banana for beauty. That was our setting for the party.