{Recipe of the Week: Banana Toffee Pie}

I am infatuated with the poetic words used to describe this pie.

"This pie is as perfect toes curled on the sofa, wrapped in cashmere beside a crackling fire and a glass of Bailey’s, as it is in the decadent heights of summer, preferably on a rooftop terrace, the humid night air swirling with falling stars and midnight kisses."

RECIPE:Banana Toffee Pie by Curtis Stone [serves 8]

CRUST9 oz / 280 g graham crackers or Marie or digestive biscuits
1 stick / 150 g butter, melted

TOFFEE SAUCE
½ cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 14-oz / 395 g  can sweetened condensed milk
1 stick / 125 g butter

FILLING1 1/4 cups heavy cream
5 small ripe bananas (about 1½ pounds / 750g  total)

TO MAKE THE CRUST:1. Line the bottom of a 9-inch / 22-23 cm springform pan with parchment paper.
2. Chop the graham crackers in a food processor until they are finely ground.
3. Pour the melted butter over the crumbs and process to blend well. The crumbs should stick together when pressed.
4. Press the crumb mixture over the bottom and 1½ inches / 3 ½ cm up the sides of the springform pan. Refrigerate.

TO MAKE THE TOFFEE SAUCE:1. Combine the sugar and 3 tablespoons of water in a medium saucepan.
2. Over medium heat stir until the sugar dissolves.
3. Increase the heat and boil without stirring until the color is deep amber, occasionally swirling the pan and brushing down the sides with a pastry brush dipped into water, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the condensed milk and butter. Continue stirring for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly.
5. Remove the toffee sauce from the heat and spread 1 cup of the sauce over the prepared crust and refrigerate for about 1 hour or until the toffee is semi-firm.
6. Keep the remaining toffee sauce at room temperature.

TO FILL THE PIE:1. Using an electric mixer beat the cream in a large bowl until thick and very soft billowy peaks form.
2. Very thinly slice 3 of the bananas into discs.
3. Fold the sliced bananas into the softly whipped cream and spoon into the prepared pie crust.
4. Slice the remaining bananas and arrange them decoratively over the pie.
5. Re-warm the remaining toffee sauce gently over low heat.
6. Drizzle some of the sauce decoratively over the pie. If the sauce has thickened too much to drizzle, stir a few tablespoons of milk into the sauce to create a thinner consistency.
7. Cut the pie into wedges and transfer to plates.
8. Drizzle each pie wedge with more sauce and serve.

*Images and recipes via thisisglamorous.com