banana-krispie pie

* based on about five different recipes, and a few creations of my own

ingredients:

Crust:
1⁄4 cup butter
1/2 batch home-made marshmallows (or 150 g store-bought)
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups rice krispies
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Filling:
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoons coffee liqueur
1 tablespoon water
5 ripe small bananas peeled, cut in half and then sliced into thirds
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup whipping cream

Topping:
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons coffee liqueur
1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup whipping (heavy) cream
4 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup chilled whipping cream

3/4 cup chilled whipping cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 firm ripe banana, thinly sliced

directions:

Crust:
1. Melt margarine in large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Stir in vanilla. Stir in RICE KRISPIES until well coated. Using lightly buttered spatula, press into lightly buttered pie, tart or quiche pan (with or without removable bottom).

3. Allow crust to cool. Melt bittersweet chocolate and pour into crust. Spread around bottom of crust with spoon – allow to cool or chill in fridge until hardened.

Filling:
1. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add sugar, coffee liqueur and water and stir until syrupy. Add bananas and cook 2 minutes, turning occasionally and basting with syrup. Using slotted spoon, transfer bananas to pie crust. Boil syrup until reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 2 minutes. Pour syrup over bananas; let cool.

2. Combine chocolate & cream in heavy small saucepan; stir over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes. Pour over bananas. Chill in fridge until custard topping is complete.

Topping:
1. Combine vanilla extract and coffee liqueur in small bowl. Sprinkle unflavored gelatin over. Let stand 10 minutes to soften gelatin. Bring 1/2 cup whipping cream to simmer in heavy small saucepan. Whisk egg yolks and sugar to blend in another small bowl. Gradually whisk in hot whipping cream. Return mixture to saucepan.

2. Stir over medium-low heat until mixture thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 4 minutes; do not boil. Add gelatin mixture and stir until gelatin melts. Transfer custard to clean bowl. Chill until cool but not set, stirring occasionally - about 20 minutes.

3. Whip 1/2 cup chilled whipping cream to medium peaks in medium bowl. Fold into custard in 2 additions. Spoon custard on top of chocolate and bananas and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.

4. Beat 3/4 cup whipping cream with 2 tablespoons sugar to firm peaks. Spoon whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe rosettes around inside edge of crust. Place banana slices in ring alongside or stuck into rosettes. Cut pie into wedges and serve..

notes: