This chocolate banana cream pie has been one of the most requested desserts in my family for years. While everyone I've ever made this for has loved it, the pie will always remind me of two of my all-time favorite people: my grandpa and my son.

Photo byRebecca Blackwell/ ofbatteranddough.com

Our son Corey resembled my Grandpa in both appearance and personality. They were both the oldest of their siblings. Both were hard workers, independent, and responsible from a young age. And, they both had a weakness for homemade banana cream pie and chocolate. Especially when those two things were combined.

Whenever I would ask Corey what he wanted for dessert for his birthday or another holiday like Thanksgiving, we both knew the question was just a formality. He always wanted this black bottom banana cream pie. When he graduated from high school, I made 8 of these pies for his graduation party, ensuring enough for the party and 2 leftover - 1 entire pie for Corey and another for my Grandpa.

I made this pie for the last birthday we ever celebrated with my Grandpa. And, had I known our time with our son was running out, I would have made him 1000 more.

After loosing our son in 2020, I thought I wouldn't ever be able make his favorite recipes again... ​Homemade tortillas​, Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon, ​Homemade Dinner Rolls​, ​Chicken Pot Pie​, ​Carnitas​, and this banana cream pie.

Turns out, I've wanted to make them more. His favorite dishes are also our whole family'sfavorite dishes. My memories of making his favorites include the rest of us enjoying them too. And we are still here.

I don't want to loose the memories of the past. I don't want to cower from making more.

So. I made this pie last week and took some to our youngest daughter. She sent me this text the next day...

Photo byRebecca Blackwell

Recipe: Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie

This recipe was originally published on ofbatteranddough.com. For more detailed instructions, please see the original recipe ---> Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie

For the Vanilla Wafer Cookie Crust:

• 2 cups crushed vanilla wafers (about 9 ounces)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 7 tablespoons (99 grams) salted butter, melted

For the Chocolate and Rum Custard Fillings:

• 5 ounces ( 142 grams) bittersweet chocolate (60-70% dark)
• 2 ½ teaspoons (about ¼ ounce) unflavored gelatin
• 8 large egg yolks
• ⅓ cup (38 grams) cornstarch
• 2 ½ cups (568 grams) whole milk
• ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon table salt, OR ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons rum (more to taste)
• 1 ¼ cups (284 grams) heavy whipping cream, divided
• 3 tablespoons powdered (confectioners) sugar
• 2 large + 1 small bananas

Make the Vanilla Wafer Cookie Crust:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C).
2. Make sure the vanila wafers are completely crushed. I like to do this in food processor, but you can also put the cookies in a zip-top bag and beat them with a rolling pin until they are crushed.
3. Dump the vanilla wafer crumbs into a bowl along with the salt, and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Pour in the melted butter and stir until all the cookie crumbs are moistened.
4. Press the crumbs into a pie plate; press them in an even layer along the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. Bake the crust in the center of the oven for 10 minutes. Let cool completely before filling.

Make the Chocolate and Rum Custard Filling:

1. Chop the chocolate into very fine pieces and put it in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Add the gelatin to a small bowl and add the 1 tablespoon of water. Stir to moisten the gelatin and set aside.
3. Add the egg yolks and cornstarch to a medium size bowl and beat with a wire whisk to combine. Set the bowl on a kitchen towel somewhere close to the stovetop. (This will keep the bowl from sliding around on your counter when you whisk in the hot milk later on.)
4. Set a 1 or 2 cup (8-16oz) heat proof measuring cup next to the stovetop. (Preferably one with a pourable spout.)
5. Add the milk, sugar, and salt to a 3-quart or larger heavy bottomed saucepan and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, just until it barely begins to boil. Remove the pan from the heat.
6. Pour 2 cups of the hot milk into the measuring cup. (If using a 1-cup measure, do this in two batches.) Slowly pour the hot milk from the measuring cup into the egg yolks, pouring very slowly, and whisking constantly. Then, pour everything back into the saucepan and set it over low heat. (*See note.)
7. Cook, stirring constantly, until the custard is thick and begins to boil. As soon as thickens to the consistency of pudding and barely begins to boil, remove from the heat and whisk for about 20 seconds longer.
8. Pour about ½ cup (4oz) of the hot pastry cream over the chocolate. Let sit for a minute or two to melt the chocolate then stir until smooth. While it's still warm, scoop it into the baked pie crust and spread it out into an even layer.
9. Break the gelatin into small pieces and drop them onto the remaining hot pastry cream. Add the vanilla extract and the rum. Stir to incorporate the gelatin and flavorings.
10. Cover the chocolate filled pie crust and the bowl of rum flavored pastry cream and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 48 hours.

Assemble the pie:

1. Beat ½ cup (4oz) of the heavy whipping cream with an elecric mixer until stiff peaks form. Add the pastry cream and beat on medium-high speed until smooth.
2. Slice the two large bananas and spread the slices in an even layer over the chocolate pastry cream. Spread the rum flavored pastry cream over the banana slices, smoothing the top into an even layer.
3. Beat the remaining ¾ cup (6oz) whipping cream and the powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large star attachment with the whipped cream and pipe the whipped cream onto the top of the pie in decorative mounds.
4. Slice the remaining small banana and use the slices to decorate the top of the pie.

For all you cream pie lovers, here are a few more family favorites:

Chocolate Cream Pie - This is what happens when you take really good pastry cream, add copious amounts of bittersweet chocolate, spread all that rich, chocolate dreaminess into a crispy toasted almond crust, and then top it with a mile-high layer of whipped cream.

Photo byRebecca Blackwell/ ofbatteranddough.com

Coconut Cream Pie - This is the ultimate in rich, creamy, coconut deliciousness and you might be tempted to just have a "small slice", but should give it up right now because there is no such thing.

No Bake Chocolate Mousse Pie - This dreamy no bake chocolate pie is impossibly light, delicate, and everything we love about a really, really good chocolate mousse. It's not the least bit stodgy, heavy, or cloying. And, it's so easy to make, it borders on ridiculous.

Photo byRebecca Blackwell/ ofbatteranddough.com

Strawberry Cream Pie - This is one of my all-time favorite summer fruit pies. Rich vanilla pastry cream and fresh strawberry pie filling are layered inside flaky pastry then baked until the crust is golden and the filling is bursting with strawberry flavor.

For more of my recipes, visit alittleandalot.com and ofbatteranddough.com.

Photo byRebecca Blackwell/ rebeccablackwell.com

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