Banana Cream Pies

By sarah_carroll

Ingredients

• 3 sheets shortcrust pastry, thawed
• 300 mL milk
• 3/4 c (165g) caster sugar
• 7 egg yolks, plus 2 eggwhites
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbs cornflour
• 2 large ripe bananas, thinly sliced

Preparation

Step 1

Grease a 12 hole muffin tin.

Using a round cutter, cut out 6 discs of pastry and use to line the muffin holes, pressing into the sides, then trimming to fit. Prick the base with a fork. Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 170 C. Line tarts with baking paper and fill with pie weights and bake for 15 minutes. Remove paper and weights, then cook for a further 5 minutes until pastry is lightly golden and dry. Set aside for 15 minutes, then remove and cool on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, combine milk and 1 1/2 tbs sugar in a pan over medium heat. Bring to just below boiling point. Beat egg yolks and 1 1/2 tbs sugar and vanilla in a bowl until thick and pale. Whisk in cornflour until smooth, then slowly whisk in hot milk. Return mix to a clean pan over medium low heat, then stir for 3-5 minutes until thickened. Transfer to a bowl, cover surface closely with plastic wrap, then chill for at least an hour.

Place eggwhites in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water and whisk for 2-3 minutes until frothy. Slowly rain in remaining 1/2 c sugar, beating continously for 5-8 minutes until thick and shiny. Remove from heat and beat for 5 minutes until cool and stiff.

Place a few slices of banana in the base of each pastry case, slightly overlapping. Fill with custard to just below the top. Dollop or pipe each pie with a generous amount of meringue, making sure the edges are sealed, then use a kitchen blowtorch to brown the meringue.