Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie with Chocolate Ganache

I did it again. The last time my friend Sabra was over for a party, I completely forgot about her serious peanut allergy and made a Banana Cream Pie with a Peanut Crust. Then last Saturday, when she and some other pals were coming over for a Southern Friends' Thanksgiving (or Friends' Southern Thanksgiving?) I found myself in the kitchen, mindlessly whipping up what is essentially a variation of the very same pie--when I suddenly remembered. Ack! So stupid of me.

I went ahead and finished making the dessert-- a Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie from Nancie McDermott, stowed it in the mini fridge, then promptly washed all of the dishes I'd used and sterilized the counters with bleach. I had half of a Drunken Pumpkin Bourbon Pie leftover from Thanksgiving, and had already made this Cranberry-Lime Galette,  so we were fine on the dessert front even without the deadly-to-some-but-delicious peanut butter 'n' banana pie. It stayed in the fridge until the coast was clear on Sunday, and housemates and co-workers eventually enjoyed the benefit of my poor memory.

As I said, this Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie with Chocolate Ganache is a sister (a paternal twin, even?) to the other Elvis sandwich-themed Banana Cream Pie with a Peanut Crust and Salty Bourbon Caramel that I made last Spring. Nancie McDermott's version employs a peanut butter cream instead of the vanilla cream in Ashley Christensen's. Though Nancie's recipe calls for a pastry crust, I opted for graham cracker (though pastry would be tasty), and since I had some leftover chocolate ganache from Thanskgiving baking, I swapped that in for her fudge sauce. That addition sounds wonderfully decadadent, though, but if you want the recipe, I guess you'll just have to buy her cookbook (and you should!).

Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie with Chocolate Ganache

Adapted From Nancie McDermott's Southern Pies

Ingredients

For crust:

1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs

5 Tblsp. unsalted butter

1 Tblsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

For filling:

12 oz. cream cheese, softened

3/4 c. confectioner's sugar

3/4 c. creamy peanut butter

2 Tblsp. whole milk

1/3 c. (2 oz.) roasted unsalted peanuts, finely chopped

2 c. heavy whipping cream

3 bananas, sliced into 1/4-1/2 in. slices

1/4 c. granulated sugar

For chocolate ganache:

3.5 oz. 60-70% dark chocolate (unsweetened), broken into pieces
1/2 c. sugar

scant 1/2 c. heavy cream 1 tsp. sea salt
Directions

For crust:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pour graham cracker crumbs in a bowl and add melted butter, sugar, and salt until well mixed. 

2. Pat the buttery crumbs into a 9-inch pie pan, pressing mixture into the bottom and sides to form a pie crust. Place in oven and bake until crust is lightly browned, about 10-12 minutes. Place on a cooling rack and let cool to room temperature before adding the filling.

For filling:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, confectioner's sugar, and peanut butter, beating until fluffy. Add the milk and the peanuts and mix well until incorporated.

2. In another bowl, using an electric mixer if desired, beat whipping cream until it becomes thick and holds medium-stiff peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture until well combined.

3. Add a layer of sliced bananas (about 1 1/2 banans) to the bottom of the pie crust and pour the filling on top. Add the remaining bananas on top of the filling, around the edge of the pie. Cover pie and refrigerate at least 2 hours before adding the chocolate ganache.

For chocolate ganache:

1. Put chocolate, sugar, heavy cream, and salt into the top of a double boiler. Put water in the bottom of the boiler and place on medium heat until filling is melted, glossy, and thick.

2. Drizzle the ganache over the chilled pie and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour. Serve pie while still slightly chilled. Enjoy! (Unless you have a peanut allergy. Then please enjoy something else!)

Related recipe:

Banana Cream Pie with Peanut Crust and Salty Bourbon Caramel