Black Bottom Crust: | ||
1 | pre-baked 9-inch pie shell* | |
6 | ounces | good quality milk, semi- or bittersweet chocolate, chopped |
3/4 | cup | whipping cream |
Filling: | ||
4 | ||
3 | cups | milk |
3/4 | cup | granulated sugar |
1/4 | teasponn | salt |
1/4 | cup | cornstarch |
1 1/2 | teaspoons | vanilla |
2 | tablespoons | butter |
2/3 | cup | creamy peanut butter |
4 | bananas, peeled and sliced | |
Topping: | ||
~ | whipped cream and roasted, salted peanuts or extra sliced bananas for garnish | |
*Homemade crust is preferred but you can use a refrigerated, store bought brand. Frozen pie crusts are a last resort. |
Black Bottom Crust:
- Place the chopped chocolate in a medium heat-tolerant bowl.
- In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a full boil. Watch closely, since cream will boil over quickly if left too long.
- Immediately pour the cream over the chocolate and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes undisturbed.
- After 5 minutes whisk the mixture until it reaches a smooth, even consistency.
- Pour the chocolate mixture into the prepared shell and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least half an hour, or until you are ready to add the filling.
Filling:
- Heat the milk just to scalding (when bubbles form around the edge). Watch closely to make sure the milk does not boil over.
- Sift the sugar, salt and cornstarch into a medium bowl.
- Add half of the heated milk to the dry ingredients and whisk together well.
- Pour this mixture back into the saucepan while stirring constantly.
- Add the vanilla and butter and continue cooking, stirring constantly over low heat, until the filling thickens and just comes to a boil, about 8–12 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and add the peanut butter. Mix well.
- Cool the filling for 10 minutes.
- While it cools, remove the pie from the refrigerator and layer the bananas on top of the black bottom crust.
- Pour the peanut butter filling over the bananas and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 4 hours.
- Serve cold, garnished with whipped cream and peanuts.