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Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Banana Cream Tart

I have looked through dozens of banana cream pie recipes and more often than not, the recipe calls for boxed banana pudding. One of my favorite blogs, The Chubby Vegetarian, proclaims that although he and his wife don't often advocate premade ingredients, boxed banana pudding is the way to go for classic Southern banana pudding and meringue.

A few months ago, Andrews McMeel Publishing sent me a cookbook called "America's Best BBQ: 100 Recipes from America's Best Smokehouses, Pits, Shacks, Rib Joints, Roadhouses, and Restaurants". Long title- excellent, thorough cookbook. Everything from how to barbecue a whole pig to a recipe for barbecued rattlesnake. And there was a small selection of classic desserts found in famous barbecue joints across the country. And there were some banana cream desserts, a few of them swearing by boxed banana pudding.


I think boxed banana pudding makes sense. You really can't make banana pudding from scratch, from what I have researched. It changes color and has a sticky texture. Any from-scratch banana cream pie recipes I found had a vanilla filling and bananas lining the crust. And then cream on top. To me, that just sounds like a vanilla pudding pie with bananas.

So those last few paragraphs were all me convincing myself to use boxed banana pudding. And I did. And I really liked it. It had banana flavor you would assume that you would get from a dessert titled "Banana Cream Tart". Oh yeah, remember I titled this a tart and not a pie? That's because pie crust and I have a weird vibe when we get together. In the end, we work it out, but it's me that makes things uncomfortable. Solution? Tart made with a Nilla wafer and almond crust. Next comes fresh banana slices lining the crust and then they are smothered in banana pudding. Everything is topped off with cinnamon whipped cream. The result is a quick-make tart that is creamy and sweet with the popular flavor of banana and a hint of cinnamon.



1/2 cup almonds
25 Nilla wafers
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 3.4 oz box instant banana pudding
3 bananas, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Set oven to 375 degrees.

In the bowl of a food processor combine almonds and wafers. Process until crumbly. Add melted butter and process until combined. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch tart pan or springform pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the crust is fragrant and slightly firm. Allow to cool.

Lay banana slices into the bottom of the pan. Prepare pudding according to package directions and evenly spread over the bananas. Cover with plastic being sure to gently press the plastic right onto the pudding so a skin doesn't form. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

In a medium bowl, combine heavy cream, powdered sugar and cinnamon. With a hand mixer, whip until soft peaks form. Remove plastic from the pudding and spread whipped cream evenly over the top. Remove tart ring or springform ring and cut into slices.

Yields 8 slices.

8 comments:

T&C said...

Can you please ship this due to a desperate 9 months pregnant craving emergency? LOL.

Ann-Michelle said...

Would you recommend that cookbook for my sister, who just moved to Memphis? She talks about the southern, Memphis-style barbeque all the time (where they put slaw ON THE SANDWICH = AMAZING), and she loves cooking with fresh ingredients.

Melinda Anderson said...

I make my a homemade banana pudding that I use for pies. It is a vanilla pudding with banana extract in it. It's actually quite good. I prefer it over the boxed. Your tart looks great though, I may have to try it!

Jelli said...

Boxed or not, this looks really good. We have loads of bananas year round, so I love trying new recipes with them. I'm not sure the groceries here carry banana pudding mix, but I will certainly check it out.

Ingrid_3Bs said...

I wasn't expecting that ending. I really thought you were going to tell me that you figured out the (real) banana pudding conundrum. Don't get me wrong I'm completely happy with your tart! :)
~ingrid

Vanessa said...

I want you to know reading your blog and making a lot of the recipes is plumping me up! Ahh but they are so good.

-vanessa from inevergrewup.net

Michelle @ Twig said...

oh i was so wanting banana cream pie for thanksgiving but alas after 2 thanksgivings, no banana cream pie. yours just gave me the craving all over again!

Anonymous said...

This looks delicious!