Equipment
Ingredients
Phyllo Crust
- 100 g phyllo dough, thawed
- 60 g unsalted butter, melted
Banana Cream Filling
- 3 bananas, ripe
- 250 ml heavy cream, cold
- 100 g caster sugar
- 30 g cornstarch
- 150 g sour cream, room temperature
- 3 g ground cinnamon
- 1 g ground nutmeg
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 336 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 34 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 19 g
- Sodium
- 76 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 13 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 63 mg
- Potassium
- 212 mg
- Calcium
- 49 mg
- Iron
- 0.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 18 mg
- Phosphorus
- 53 mg
- Zinc
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 204 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 4 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.09 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.17 mg
- Niacin
- 0.8 mg
- Folate
- 22 mcg
- Water
- 68 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 190 degrees Celsius (375 degrees Fahrenheit). Brush a 9-inch pie dish lightly with a small amount of the melted butter.
Unroll the phyllo dough. Keep the stack covered with a damp kitchen towel to prevent it from drying out. Place one sheet in the pie dish, allowing edges to overhang. Brush generously with melted butter. Repeat with remaining sheets, placing each at a slight angle to the last to create a ruffled, star-like crust.
Fold the overhanging dough inwards to create a crinkled edge. Brush the edge with any remaining melted butter.
Bake the empty crust for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the heavy cream, caster sugar, and cornstarch until thoroughly combined and no lumps remain.
Place the saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble and thickens significantly, about 5 to 7 minutes. It should coat the back of a spoon thickly.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Vigorously fold in the sour cream, 2 mashed bananas, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg until completely smooth and homogeneous.
Pour the warm banana cream filling into the cooled phyllo crust. Smooth the top with a spatula.
Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the filling to set completely.
Just before serving, slice the remaining reserved banana and arrange the slices elegantly around the perimeter of the chilled pie.
Chef's Notes
- Phyllo dries out incredibly fast. Having all your sheets ready under a slightly damp towel before you melt your butter is the secret to a stress-free crust assembly.
- Adding the sour cream off the heat is a crucial step. Boiling dairy with acidic components like sour cream can cause immediate curdling.
- The amount of sugar is intentionally restrained. Ripe bananas provide substantial natural sugars, and the sour cream acts as a brilliant acidic counterpoint that keeps the dessert from becoming cloying.
- To make slicing cleaner, wipe your knife with a warm, damp cloth between each cut. The crispy layers of phyllo will shatter less if you use a gentle sawing motion.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Cover loosely to protect the crust. The phyllo will gradually lose its crunch after the first 24 hours.
Troubleshooting
Phyllo crust becomes soggy quickly
Cause: The crust was not baked completely or the filling was too hot and liquid when poured
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Ensure the crust bakes to a deep golden brown and cool the filling slightly before assembling
Filling is runny and does not set after chilling
Cause: The cornstarch mixture was not boiled long enough to activate the starch
Fix: Cannot be fixed once assembled into the crust
Prevention: Allow the cream mixture to reach a gentle, sluggish bubble for at least 1 minute before removing from heat
Garnish bananas turned brown and mushy
Cause: Bananas were sliced too far in advance
Fix: Remove oxidized slices and replace with fresh ones
Prevention: Wait to slice and apply the garnish until exactly when serving
Cultural Context
Banana cream pie is an enduring staple of the American diner and a beloved holiday classic. This rendition reimagines the traditional heavy pastry or graham cracker crumb crust by utilizing delicate, flaky phyllo dough—a nod to Mediterranean pastry techniques. The incorporation of sour cream balances the sweetness, elevating the dish into a sophisticated Thanksgiving centerpiece.
