Banana Cream Pie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep bananas from turning brown in banana cream pie? ›

Coat the banana slices in a wee bit of lemon juice and that'll stop the browning. Then, once they are in the pudding, the lemon juice and lack of oxygen will keep them looking fresh.

In a large bowl, whisk milk, pudding mix and vanilla for 2 minutes (mixture will be thick). Fold in 3 cups whipped topping. Pour 1-1/3 cups pudding mixture into pie crust. Layer with banana slices and remaining pudding mixture.

For thickening, you'll use cornstarch. (The egg yolks and cream help, too.) A fork works for whisking the cornstarch and egg yolk mixture.

Several factors could contribute to a runny banana cream pie. It may not have set properly if the custard wasn't cooked long enough or if it wasn't chilled adequately. Ensure you follow the recipe's instructions for both cooking and chilling times, and consider refrigerating the pie for a longer period if needed.

To prevent your banana slices from browning, you can use the same trick you've seen for apples: acid! Just toss your banana slices in some lemon juice to inhibit enzymatic browning. Full coverage, particularly on the cut sides, will help prevent the slices from turning brown.

Keep cut fruits, such as apples, pears, bananas, and peaches from turning brown by: Coating them with an acidic juice such as lemon, orange, or pineapple juice. Use a commercial anti-darkening preparation with fruits, such as Fruit-Fresh®*, and follow the manufacturer's directions.

An umble pie is a pie filled with chopped or minced offal, especially of deer but often other meats, called umbles in Middle English, which derived from the word numble (after the Middle French nombles), meaning "deer's innards".

The difference is how the filling comes together: a custard filling is usually baked, while a cream pie filling is not. But we're not here to be fastidious, so you'll spot a few custard pies in the collection below—we promise they'll satisfy just as well whenever a cream pie craving hits.

Why is my banana cream pie runny? Most likely your filling is undercooked and didn't set up properly. If it has too much liquid you can try adding more cornstarch and let it cook a little longer to thicken. Also, letting your pie chill in the fridge will help it set.

Lumps can happen if you don't stir the filling continuously while cooking, or if the heat is too high. To prevent this, ensure that you stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture thickens and becomes smooth. You also need to gradually add the hot mixture to the egg yolks while whisking to temper them.

What can you do with old bananas? ›

All-purpose flour is an easy solution, as you're sure to have it in your pantry. Since it's lower in starch, you'll use more of it than you would higher-starch thickeners. Quick-cooking tapioca makes filling bright and clear, but also gives it a stippled and somewhat sticky texture.

Very often flour or cornstarch is used, but in certain instances tapioca, arrowroot and potato starch can also help achieve the desired consistency. Tapioca starch is preferable for products that will be frozen because it will not break down when thawed.

Cornstarch as Pie Filling Thickener

Cornstarch is faster-acting than flour and forms a smooth, relatively clear filling. Just be aware that too much cornstarch can create a slimy texture.

Assemble the pie just before serving: Cut and add the bananas to the pie just before serving, as this will limit the time that they are exposed to air and prevent them from browning. Sugar syrup: Dip the banana slices in a sugar syrup to coat them before adding to the pie.

As with apple slices, adding lemon or lime juice to peeled bananas can help preserve their freshness. Basically, the citrus slows down the oxidation process. You can also use lime orange juice or pineapple juice. If you've already sliced the banana, toss it with a teaspoon or two of citrus juice.

However, you also shouldn't expect banana pudding to last longer than a day or so. Beyond that, the bananas will start to darken wherever some of the pudding has been spooned out, exposing them to air.