Vanilla Cream Pie (also used to make Banana Pudding)
The easiest and best cream pie recipe I've found. Makes a great banana pudding. If you want to make a large pudding, increase the recipe by half, then use one box of mini vanilla wafers and about 6 bananas to make a 3 quart pudding. To make the meringue, whip the egg whites, adding a half cup of powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar (for stabilization), 2 teaspoons of vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Put on prepared pudding, then place in hot oven until lightly browned - about 5 minutes. I often make it just for the pudding.
The easiest and best cream pie recipe I've found. Makes a great banana pudding. If you want to make a large pudding, increase the recipe by half, then use one box of mini vanilla wafers and about 6 bananas to make a 3 quart pudding. To make the meringue, whip the egg whites, adding a half cup of powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar (for stabilization), 2 teaspoons of vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Put on prepared pudding, then place in hot oven until lightly browned - about 5 minutes. I often make it just for the pudding.
- Carbohydrate 28.4338295898849 g
- Cholesterol 3168.31317500406 mg
- Fat 74.1333759593338 g
- Fiber 0.018276041212765 g
- Protein 44.6162239808451 g
- Saturated Fat 28.3865050339711 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (365g)
- Sodium 181.27772085427 mg
- Sugar 28.4155535486722 g
- Trans Fat 3.04294613337391 g
- Calories 961 calories
Step-by-step
- Whisk sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium suacepan. Add yolk, then immediately but gradually whisk in milk and evaporated milk. Book over medium heat stirring frequently at first, then constantly, as mixture starts to thicken, 8 to 10 minutes. Once mixture begins to simmer, continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more. Off heat, add butter, vanilla, and brandy if using. Stir until butter is melted and all is blended well.
- Pour filling into a shallow pan (a pie pan works well). Put plastic wrap directly over surface to prevent a skin from forming; cool until just warm, about 30 minutes. (If filling cools for too long, it can turn soupy once transferred into pie shell.) Pour warm filling into fully baked pie shell and place a sheet of plastic wrap over filling surface. Refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 3 hours.
- Whip cream to soft peaks. Add sugar and vanilla; continue to whip to barelys tiff peaks. Spread over filling and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Mix cornstarach and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally at beginning and more frequently as mixture thickens. When mixture starts to simmer and turn translucent, remove from heat.
- Preheat oven to 325F. Mix cream of tartar and sugar together. Beat egg whites with vanilla until frothy. Beat in sugar mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, until sugar is incorporated and whites form soft peaks. Drop in warm cornstarch misture, 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue to beat meringue to stiff peaks.
- Pour filling into pie shell. Promptly distribute meringue evenly around edge. then center of pie, with a rubber spatula to keep it from sinking into filling and making sure it attaches to pie shell to prevent shrinking. Use back of a spoon to create peaks all over meringue. Bake until meringue is golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Serve.
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 300F. Scatter 1? cups sweetened flaked coconut in a 9 inch square pan. Bake, stirring occasionally, until evenly golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
- Follow recipe for Vanilla Cream Pie, stirring 1 cup toasted coconut into filling once butter has melted in step 2. Continue as directed, sprinkling remaining ? cup toasted coconut over topping.
Home cooks routinely dump cold dairy straight into dry starches without whisking the egg yolks first, creating stubborn lumps that refuse to smooth out even after ten minutes on the burner. Incorporating the liquid gradually while keeping the heat at a steady medium ensures the cornstarch hydrates evenly without scorching at the bottom of the saucepan. When scaling this recipe upward for large format gatherings like the suggested three-quart banana pudding, remember that thickeners and eggs multiply linearly, but thermal mass increases exponentially. Therefore, a doubled batch requires extra vigilance during the simmer phase to prevent pockets of stagnant heat from overcooking the yolks.
Adjusting Batches and Thermal Dynamics
Scaling down is rarely problematic, but expanding a custard past two liters demands a wider pan to maintain efficient heat transfer. Whisking constantly once the mixture approaches 180 degrees Fahrenheit prevents localized boiling, which breaks the starch chains and results in a watery pudding. Furthermore, wrapping the warm surface tightly with plastic film suppresses steam condensation while chilling for that mandatory three-hour window. If the plastic floats above the cream rather than resting flat on it, moisture droplets will pool on top and ruin the delicate crust.
Fresh Versus Preserved Elements
Utilizing fresh vanilla beans instead of extract changes the moisture content negligibly, but it introduces millions of tiny black specks that signal artisan quality to guests. Conversely, swapping fresh bananas for pureed or canned fruit alters the moisture balance significantly, requiring an extra quarter teaspoon of cornstarch in the base to absorb the excess liquid safely. Achieving rigid meringue peaks requires spotless, grease-free copper or glass bowls maintained at room temperature before beating begins.
