It’s Spring! I know because I’ve busted out my hippie print wrap skirt and I’ve got the last of the Cadbury Cream Eggs in my mouth at this very moment. Thank goodness I’ve reached the end of the Easter candy… my thighs are angry with me… or angry with my tight fitting jeans… I can’t tell.
The best part about this budding Spring, besides the end of Easter candy? I get to play with my food and play with my friends. More specifically… I get to play with first of the season strawberries and my two best friends Whitney and Rachel.
Apparently when my friends and I play with food… we do it for an audience. April 10th. Surfas. Los Angeles. Strawberry cooking demonstration. That’s today. That’s happening.
I know.. I know.. I’m always popping up in Los Angeles and Sonoma and never in your neck of the woods. I’m sorry. I should just take myself on tour. While I figure how to rent myself a rock star tour bus, take a peek at what I’m cooking up for the cooking demonstration. Strawberry Banana Cream Pie. It’s like heaven with fruit.
Can we start at the beginning? There are a handful of steps that need to happen to make this recipe work. I can help you through it. We can totally hold hands.
First, you should know that I made this pie is a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. This choice allowed me to pulse my tart shell crust in a food processor and press it into the tart pan with my fingers. Easy easy!
Chunky sweet dough.
Finger pressed.
The tart dough needs to be fully baked before it meets the filling. I froze the dough and lined it with buttered foil. That’s the secret to keeping the tart dough from sinking!
It’s like a giant crisp sugar cookie.
Can we talk about custard? We’re heating egg yolks and milk, sugar and cornstarch. It’s science. It’s also magic.
Warm milk introduced to eggs. The cooking begins.
Custard cooks up sloooow… then it’s done before you know it . It’s tricky like that. Whisk the mixture constantly and don’t be afraid to remove the pan from the flame to keep it from cooking too quickly.
Finishing the custard with butter… silky genius.
Cover with plastic and cool in the refrigerator until nice and cold.
This is getting good.
This is getting really good.
Good gravy I love my life!
Lunch. And dinner. And dessert. And tomorrow’s breakfast.
Strawberry Banana Cream Pie
adapted from Dorie Greenspan
recipe makes 1 9-inch pie
for the filling:
2 cups whole milk
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch, sifted
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 ripe bananas, sliced
10 fresh strawberries, sliced
for the topping:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
for the tart crust, if not using mini Dufour shells:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick plus 1 tablespoons (9 tablespoons) unsalted cutter, cold or frozen, cut into cubes
1 large egg yolk
to make the tart crust:
Put the flour, powdered sugar and salt in a food processor fit the the blade attachment. Pulse a few times to combine. Scatter the pieces of cold butter over the dry ingredients and pulse until the butter is coarsely cut in. There will be pieces of butter that are the size of oatmeal flakes and butter the size of peas. Beat the egg yolk with a fork and add a little of the egg yolk at a time to the flour mixture. Pulse for 10 seconds at a time. When the egg is in, process in longer pulses until the dough forms clumps and curds. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and, very lightly and sparingly, knead the dough just to incorporate any dry ingredients that may have escaped mixing.
Butter a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough evenly over the bottom and the sides of the pan. Press the crust so that the pieces cling to one another, but not so hard that the crust loses its crumbly texture. Freeze the crust for at least 30 minutes before baking.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter the shiny side of a piece of foil and fit the foil, butter side down, tightly against the frozen crust. Put the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Carefully remove the foil. If the crust is puffed, gently press it down with your fingers.
Bake the uncovered crust for 8 to 10 more minutes on the baking sheet. Keep an eye on the crust. It will brown quickly.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before filling.
to make the filling:
Bring the milk to a boil in a small saucepan.
In a large, heavy-bottom saucepan, whisk the yolks together with the brown sugar, cornstarch and salt until well blended and thick. Whisking without stopping, drizzle about 1/4 cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture, warming the eggs so they don’t cook and curdle. Still whisking, slowly add the rest of the hot milk in a steady steam.
Place the pan over medium heat and, whisking constantly (make sure to get the edges of the pan), bring the mixture to a boil. Boil, still whisking for one minute before removing from the pan from the heat. Mixture will be thick and silky. Be warned, once the mixture starts to boil, it will thicken very quickly. Don’t be afraid to remove the pan from the flame to whisk it smooth.
Whisk in the vanilla extract. Let stand for 5 minutes then whisk in the butter, stirring until fully incorporated and the custard is smooth and silky. Transfer custard to a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap so that the plastic touches the surface of the custard and refrigerate until cold throughout. Custard can be refrigerated up to three days.
When ready to assemble the pie, slice bananas and strawberries into thin, round slices.
Whisk the cold custard to loosen. Add a handful of banana slices. Stir.
Arrange a thin layer of banana slices on the bottom of the tart shell. Arrange a thin layer of strawberries atop the bananas. Reserve some strawberries for topping the pie. Top with banana custard. Smooth out a refrigerate while you make the whipped cream.
for the topping:
With a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat heave cream until it just starts to thicken. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Continue to beat until the cream holds stiff peaks. With a rubber spatula, spoon whipped cream onto banana cream pie filling. Top with sliced strawberries.
Serve pie immediately or refrigerate for several hours before serving. This pie is best served the day it is made, but also isn’t too shabby the next day for a breakfast treat.
Chelsea
just made this for a bbq. i didn’t use the strawberries, but i followed the recipe excactly otherwise. SO easy to make and delicious!
Pamela
Wow. Staring at my super fancy mini pies (6 in.) right now! I tried to make the filling a little less sweet with the diabetics in the house and sub-ed the milk with soy.. turned out incredibly! Feelin’ pretty proud of myself (and my cousin who helped) right now. Also feeling pretty full from stuffing my face with pie at midnight. But life is short. :)
The Honey Nut
omggg i love strawberries and bananas! Covering them in custard sounds amazing
Single cup coffee brewer
The pics are amazing! Thanks for sharing this recipe to us. Will surely try this as my daughter’s bday is coming up this weekend. I am sure that she would love this. Kudos to you! Hope there are more recipes to come.
Yun
Hi, I made this pie for my husband’s birthday party last week. It was G-R-E-A-T. Everyone loved it. Just wondering why my custard was a little runny. As soon as i cut the pie, it lost its beautiful shape immediately like a demolished sand castle by the wave. I mean the flavor was lovely but i failed at the presentation. How thick should the custard be? Does anyone know what happened to my custard?
joythebaker
it’s possible that you didn’t cook it for long enough. Cornstarch thickens at the boiling point so next time just keep it on the heat a little longer then be sure the refrigerate the tart fir a good long while before serving.
Win
I have made this pie like 4 times!Everybody LOVES it to bits!Thank you Joy!
Seriously,excellent combo!
leanne
I just made this for my husband’s birthday, and it was deliciously good! a perfect combo of bananas, strawberries, flaky crust and creamy goodness :)
Kelsey
I got my grandma to make this for my 16th birthday, and it was GREAT. I just finished my second helping. :)
Sarah
Hiya,
Can you make the pie crust without a food processor? Also, please come to the UK!!!
Emily Morrice
THANK YOU!
I just saw your blog from The B-Line blog roll and the first recipe I saw was this delicious cake, so I promptly made it!
My husbands on the road, so I had the freedom to drop everything and BAKE….love it.
it’s just chilling, can…not…wait to try!!!
Teen Grandma
Hey Joy, i’m 15 and i plan on making this pie for my friends tomorrow to welcome them back from summer! it’s such an awesome idea as summer is here and it’s the perfect time to indulge on fresh strawberries and bananas! they joke around calling me a grandma because i always bake them many things just for the sake of baking! –note: they loved those peanut butter blondies of yours! cheers, and PS i am going to be making a lot of these while i fast during Ramadan! Cheers Joy! (-:
Anne Dolin
I just made the cream pie. Ok, let’s first say that I have 1) never made pie crust before. 2) never ever made custard before. 3) never made home made whipped cream before.
I DID IT!!!
Thanks to you, I made it. You rock. My friends are baffled. My husband is confused. I’m glorious.
YIPEEE
joythebaker
work it, girl! work it!
NatalieM
JOY. I’m so happy right now, and I have you to thank!
I just successfully incorporated hot liquids into eggs without them curdling! I lovee your directions they’re always soo easy to follow and I love your multiple pictures of the steps. I’ve never made a tart before because I was intimidated by the crust, but I love your method. And I wanted to give myself an effin high five after i whisked that custard up, i was tired but it was so worth it! This was the most delicious cream pie i’ve ever had! definatelfy a keeper!
Katherine
I’m making this tart in my 4inch tart pans because I’m giving them away to my friends coming home from studying abroad – but if I top the tarts with the whipped cream and then give them away, and the girls store them in the fridge (aka don’t eat them right away)….won’t the whipped cream lose it’s shape and kind of melt into a liquidy state?
Should I top it with something else? Please let me know!
Katherine :)
joythebaker
don’t worry. the whipped cream will be fine in the fridge.
Susan
Oh Joy!
I just made this for a friend’s birthday. She said she wants to marry me because it’s so good, but I think she’ll have to be quick, as I may have to propose to you if I make this again… such is the power of this pie! Love it, thank you! xxx
Jamie
Good gravy, I love your life, too. I will love my life this weekend, when I make this. MMMMmmmm
Elizabeth
I made this last night and wow! It was delicious!
Avanika (Yumsilicious Bakes)
My diet is going to have only you to blame :P
Betty
Oh I AM making this for my birthday dinner. I love my mom’s banana cream pudding with vanilla wafers, but the strawberries might just make this pie a contender. :)
Emily
Made this today — turned out picture perfect and was absolutely delish!
Martha
I am really inpressed with the pie crust…I never bought a pan either cause I thought it was too hard to fool with…Now, I would love to have one…lol..wanna make that beautiful pie. I would like to see you bake up some fancy cupcakes…easy but special ones.
Jess
I decided to save this recipe for something really special. I’m making it today for my one-year anniversary dinner with the BF. He’s very excited I’m buying whole milk for the first time. Ever.
betty
I did it but the Custard yhat i made was so unusual, so
tomorrow i´m goingo to do it again ..
Christa
I made this for my moms tax office as a way to say thank you, and it was amazing!
Toni
Oh to share a piece of that heaven!!!
Rebecca
This looks AMAZING! I plan to try it out next week … fingers crossed! Yummerz.
Katha
Just made that one for my office today and it was a blast!
The custard oh my! The custard. And the fresh fruits just build that nice little contrast to the heavy whipped cream and that amazing custard.
We just fell into cake coma afterwards. Have to leave out diner, and breakfast tomorrow and maybe even lunch. But it’s so too die for.
Perfect recipe. Thanks!
Jess
I have a lovely, lovely dinner party this weekend. I was thinking in miniatures because I don’t know what everyone would like to have. I might take your brilliant recipe here and mini it up. You’re going to have to wish me luck, though. I don’t want to blow it!
Nancy Walsh
Wow! Such a beautiful pie and gorgeous photos. My daughter and I will be trying it very soon–happily includes each of our favorite fruits, strawberries (Anna’s) and bananas (mine!). THANKS!
Juliana
What nice pie, love the combination of strawberries and banana..all in one :-) Lovely presentation!
brooke
gosh dang-it! wish i had known about it! i would’ve done all in my power to come. alas, i was in s.f. taking wedding photos. next time?…i want to come!
My Delicious
wow! it looks sooo delicious!
Esther
Joy! Your cooking demo was awesome. The food was so delish! I immensely enjoyed your mini strawberry banana cream pies :) Thank you (and Rachel and Whitney) so much for that experience!
joythebaker
Thank you so much for coming Ester! We had a blast with all y’all!
Pam
Your strawberry banana creme pie reminded me of a restaurant that closed years ago. They would make a Boston Creme Pie with fresh strawberries and no chocolate every spring. The lady would made 5 or so pies every day and if you hurried you might get a slice. They would be all gone before dinner…sometimes by 1230pm!
DessertForTwo
Looks TO DIE FOR. Why haven’t I thought of adding strawberries to banana cream pie?? Thanks for the tip about how to keep crusts from shrinking! Deb at Smitten Kitchen has a recipe for ‘the great unshrinkable crust’ or something along those lines…
Avril @ http://bakingandcreatingwithavril.blogspot.com
Oh Joy…once again you are bringing such happiness to my life. I just love strawberries – and then added with bananas, cream, custard and a sweet shell….H-E-A-V-E-N. Merci, merci beaucoup! :-)
Ecochic
Tour: Umm.. yeah! Don’t forget about Canada when you get your rockstar bus.
Pie: I feel like this will be fantastic at my housewarming party. Nothing says ‘Welcome to my awesome apartment’ like an awesome pie.
Awesome.
Tay
Your hair looks different…
Yes, you should go on tour. Why not hit all 50 states? I’m sure all of your readers would be happy to come to a lesson. I would come.
Kristan Roland
I can hardly believe how yummy this looks!! Sadly, I have yet to invest in a tart pan. I have now bumped it up to the top of my things to do list!! :)
marcellina
Beautiful, fresh and fruity. What more could you ask for?
Nicole
can you make these in tartlette form… using a mini tart pan???
Terresa Wellborn
Pass the pie & the hippie print wrap skirt. Spring time, fo’ sho’!
Michelle
This looks delectable, I am definitely making this. Sure wish I lived in Sonoma so I could come see the demonstration.
joanne
holy deliciousness, batman!!!! oh, yeah, gotta love spring berries!
Natalie
Wowww your pie looks so amazingly delicious!! Yumm!! I bet it tasted so so good.
Em
I want this pie thrown in my face.
Fabiola Robichaud
Looks delicious … can’t wait to make it!
Julia
Just beautiful!
Catherine
Please come to Houston, TX sometime soon. I will get a group together to come see you and “on the lamb” too. We will find a location for the class…just come!!!!
And this recipe looks GREAT!
Kirstin
For some reason I always thought the custard in a banana cream pie would be banana-flavored? Still looks amazing though!
Cherine
A fabulous treat!! Amazing!
Sweets By Vicky
Love bananas, love strawberries, love custard! :) Love the goodgood times you share with us. Hope you’re having fun!
Debbi
Good Lord woman!!!! Amazing, and will be made in the morning!!! Company coming, they will get some “Joy”!!
jenny
wow.
Sophie
Make sure your tour makes it to Australia!
I’d like to introduce you to lamingtons, I’m sure you two would be great friends!
Maria
I love the combo of bananas, strawberries and custard, actually I love anything with custard! So, when you pre-bake your tart shell, do you use pie weights?
Thanks for all of the inspiration!
Maria
Memoria
What a lovely pie.
Tom
Thanks for a great demo . . . the three of you rock! And sorry about all the pictures . . . old habits die hard.
joythebaker
Tom! I didn’t recognize you! You must think me terribly rude! I didn’t have my glasses on! Ooh no. I need to write you an email. That’s about to happen.
Adrianna from A Cozy Kitchen
This was amazing! I loved the class. You girls are awesome! I’m thinking of getting fancy crushed ice and making the strawberry & balsamic basil soda for a party tonight. I loved it!
joythebaker
Adriana! I didn’t see you back there! I wish you would have said hello!
Meredith
Hi Joy!
Looks perfect! I live in Ontario, Canada and we are just getting our first touch of Spring here and I can’t wait to try this recipe for our first BBQ, it look amazing!
You’re an inspiration!
zestycook
I am stuck trying to use windex on my laptop screen to get some of the drool and saliva off of it after licking it. Looks amazing!
Grits
How much do I wish I could go to your class? How much do I wish local strawberries were already out up here too (I’m in Canada)? Oh, so much.
Sarah
Oh my goodness. This looks delicious. I’m never going to fit into my down a size jeans at this rate :)
Jen
OMG, that looks incredibly delicious. Strawberries + bananas + custard = heaven.
Stephanie (Fresh Tart)
Gorgeous! What a flirty recipe, love the combination of banana with strawberry. I too love the way you laid the strawberries and top – and the photos, as always. Hope it’s a grand party – have fun!
Cookie
I know you must have meant buttered foil instead of buttered flour in your pictured step of the pie crust after you froze it. (right?)
joythebaker
oops. :)
jaclyn@todayslady
Ummmm I’m lost for words….. Ok maybe not: This looks so unbelievably amazing!!! Custardy desserts are always so so good! I’ve always enjoyed eating custard but have never made it myself…. Maybe that should change..
P.S. I had my last cream egg the other day…. it needed to happen!
Tracy
omg these pictures are soo slutty! i want to put him whole hand in that custard and eat it. jesus woman!
joythebaker
totally slutty! love it.
Carolyn J.
I need to KNOW how to make a strawberry balsamic basil soda! And I am in Canada. I hope you post that recipe after your get-together.
Jen
To Ram, above.
I’m pretty sure it’s just a typo (I was also confused) and should read “Buttered foil” not “Buttered flour” if you read the recipe instructions it does say foil.
This looks so yummy! My hubs would love if I made this! I just need a tart pan ;) Woohoo! Shopping excuse!
Rebecca
What a perfect combo of flavors. Maybe when the weather here warms up I will get it all done up for company. I am afraid if I made it with out company I would eat the whole pie myself. Maybe that would not be such a bad thing??? Maybe the snow will thaw at smell of this? Many ideas, thanks for the great dessert!
Annie Marshall
FANTASTIC idea. Looove it. Definitely going to try this soon!
Courtney
I’ll be working today during your demo… Boo! (While I’m very grateful for my job, I’m still mourning the loss of my Saturday mornings.) Maybe it’s okay that I won’t be at the demo… I’d find no less than a million items I want from Serfas and I’d have to settle for one, then feel bad because I couldn’t take everything home with me. Enjoy the demo. Do another event that doesn’t sell out before I can even consider attending. Oh, and thanks for this recipe. I’m hitting the farmers market to get strawberries now. You’re awesome.
Patty (mom)
Dad and I loved the piece you left for us. See ya soon @ Surfas. Good luck.
Ram
Your Tart looks so sexy and delicious! I love the photos, so inviting to make one right away.
Can you explain it further when you said, ” I froze the dough and lined it with buttered flour. That’s the secret to keeping the tart dough from sinking!” I didn’t quite get it. Thanks!
Megabite
Prettiest pie ever! I love that you made it in tart pan and I love the strawberry and banana fest. SO GOOD! I think I’m going to daydream all day about this pie.
I wish my Easter candy was gone… It’s going nowhere fast.
Allie (Live Laugh Eat)
Hey Joy!!
I just wanted to drop in and tell you how much of an inspiration you are to me. I am about a month away from graduating college and rather than get a job I know I’ll despise, I’m looking to put my expensive degree to good use by pursuing the the lucrative career that is baking :).
I love your photos, your creations and the fact that you are making it without a pastry degree!
Sylvia
I love how i was looking everywhere for a good banberry pie..
(like on well-known foodie sites, eg pioneer woman, bakerella, etc)
and i came up all blank.. for some reason people love chocolate pies, pecan pies, apple pies, every other pie in the world but strawberry banana..
and then i come to your site and its the first thing i see.
i love you for this :)
my little expat kitchen
This looks like a terrific recipe. I’m kind of drooling looking at this pie. I love strawberries and bananas and cream and pies and… need I go on? Thanks for sharing this.
Magda
Jessie
This is so beautiful! My Mom loves banana cream pie and she’s coming to visit in a few weeks. I’m definitely making this for her. Do you think if I kept the crust and custard separate I could make the components 2 or 3 days ahead?
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is
Totally drool worthy, Joy! That sounds so summery and fabulous.
H
I love that last picture! You take great photography!
The MuffinTin Post
Like the design on top of the pie!
Susan@CookingtoSave
Looks spectacular! Love a fruit tart this time of year- so springy!
Ana Luísa
I can only say Uauu =)
It must be delicious. Keep up this share of great recipes.
Have a great w/e.
Ana Luísa (Portugal)
Katrina
I can’t even begin to explain how good this looks. I want it! WHY can’t I live near you!!
snooky doodle
wow simply delicious :)
Bakingaddict
Wow that looks really delicious. Is it better than a banoffee pie? Can’t wait to try it! Love the step-by-step photos.
Allison of "a for aubergine"
this looks amaaazing! my friend dana is going to your surfas class today, she has short dark brown hair and smiles quite frequently! have a great time at the class! :)
Joy
mmm this looks SO GOOD!!
kangli
WOW! it looks.. great. thank you for the pics and tips!
Brandy
I love reading your posts. You are so very funny and your recipes are wonderful. Thank you.
michelle
ive never made or eaten anything like this, but i think i need to change that, like, now. thanks for making something that seemed so weird into something so easy and delicious!
Culinaria Libris
What a fantastic combination! Your recipes are so creative and interesting. I better dash to the kitchen and get busy. Thanks for the inspiration.
Silvia
Yummy pie!
Joe @ Eden Kitchen
That there looks like heaven! Love the step by step pics too. Thanks :)