My mother was a Home Economics teacher; therefore, I started cooking when I was tall enough to reach the burners on the gas stove.
Cooking pudding may have been my infamous start, but mother always had a surprise twist. When I cooked chocolate pudding she had me add chopped nuts (which was actually a nice addition). I also cooked cherry pie filling and added almond extract (also a nice addition). We would pour the pudding into glass sherbet dishes which elevated it to a more attractive dessert.
I guess I have always been fascinated by cooking and the many, many ways to be creative, from very simple to more complex. Cooking is my “happy place” and I simply cannot contain myself from collecting recipes! It is sort of an addiction actually and I find myself wanting to try so many new recipes.
I would love to share some of my “tried and true” favorites with you and engage in conversation with interested individuals; whether it be questions or requests for unique dishes.
I am excited to share my first recipe with you for Banoffi Pie, also known as Banoffee Pie. I’ve shared both the historic European version as well as my simplified American version (which is how I learned to make it) below.
Happy Cooking.
Note from the editor: Be sure to comment below if you’d like to ask Penny questions or submit your own recipe to share.
Banoffee Pie (American Version)
You will need:
- 1 can Eagle Brand Milk
- 3 – 4 Large Bananas
- T TB brown sugar
- Chilled heavy cream
- Graham cracker crust mix
Immerse unopened can of Eagle Brand Milk in deep pan of boiling water. Cover and boil for 5 hours, MAKING SURE THE PAN DOES NOT BOIL DRY TO AVOID EXPLOSION. Remove the tin from the water and cool completely before opening. Inside you will find soft toffee filling.
Prepare graham cracker crust, eliminating sugar.
Spread the toffee in the bottom of the graham cracker crust.
Slice bananas on the diagonal and layer over the toffee.
Whip heavy cream with desired amount of brown sugar (approx. 1 TB) and spread over the bananas.
Chill for several hours and serve.
The Original Hungry Monk Banoffi Pie
Invented at the Hungry Monk in 1972, Banoffi Pie is still as popular today as it was the first time it appeared on the menu.
There have been many imitations as far and wide as Russia and the United States; it is even rumored to be Mrs Thatcher’s favourite pudding! Below is the original recipe as it first appeared in ‘The Deeper Secrets of the Hungry Monk’ in 1974.
To serve 8-10:
- 12 ounces uncooked shortcrust pastry
- 1.5 tins condensed milk (13.5 ounces each)
- 1.5 pounds firm bananas
- 375ml of double cream
- Half a teaspoon powdered instant coffee
- 1 dessertspoon caster sugar
- A little freshly ground coffee
Preparation
Preheat the oven to gas mark 5 (400F.).
Lightly grease a 10in × 1.5in flan tin. Line this with the pastry thinly rolled out.
Prick the base all over with a fork and bake blind until crisp.
Allow to cool.
The secret of this delicious pudding lies in the condensed milk.
Immerse the cans unopened in a deep pan of boiling water.
Cover and boil for 5 hours making sure that the pan does not boil dry *(see CAUTION).
Remove the tin from the water and allow to cool completely before opening. Inside you will find the soft toffee filling.
Method
Whip the cream with the instant coffee and sugar until thick and smooth. Now spread the toffee over the base of the flan. Peel and halve the bananas lengthways and lay them on the toffee. Finally spoon or pipe on the cream and lightly springkle over the freshly ground coffee.
*CAUTION
It is absolutely vital to top up the pan of boiling water frequently during the cooking of the cans. 5 hours is a long time. If they are allowed to boil dry, the cans will explode, causing a grave risk to life, limb, and kitchen ceilings.
Hint – Banoffi is a marvelous “emergency” pudding once you have the toffee mixture in your store cupboard. We therefore suggest that you boil several cans at the same time as they keep unopened indefinitely.
