Perfect banana pumpkin pie
Nothing says Autumn like a warm slice of pumpkin pie! Perfect for Thanksgiving or Halloween desserts, top it with cream or a ball of ice cream and enjoy a thick slice after dinner.Our pumpkin pie is also that little bit different because it’s a banana pumpkin pie. Kids love the natural sweetness of banana that comes through with the pumpkin and packs it with flavour.
Servings 12 people
Equipment
- Leaf shaped cookie cutters for decorations (optional)
- Round pie dish
Ingredients
Shortcrust base
- 300 grams slightly salted butter softened
- 190 grams icing sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ vanilla pod (or 1 teaspoon vanilla essence)
- 500 grams plain flour
Leaf decorations
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- water
- leaf shaped cookie cutters
Banana and pumpkin filling
- 1 can pumpkin puree (425 grams)
- 1 banana ripe
- 3 large eggs
- 200 grams light Muscovado sugar
- 160 mls coconut cream
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons cornflour
Instructions
Shorcrust base
- In a mixing bowl, beat your softened butter and icing sugar together for a few minutes until they form a thick liquid paste.
- Add your eggs and salt. Scoop out your vanilla from the pod or add the vanilla essence. Beat again until well combined.
- Finally, add your flour and mix it well. You may have to knead it with your hands towards the end.
- Split the dough into two equal-sized balls and wrap them in cling film. Chill them in the fridge for 30 minutes or overnight. The dough can stay in the fridge for up to 48 hours.
- When you’re ready to begin, preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F) fan setting and grease a round pie dish that you will be making the pumpkin pie in.
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of plain flour over a clean, work surface. Unwrap one of your dough balls and roll it out to a large circle that is about 3mm thick.
- Using a knife, cut out a large circle which is much bigger than your pie dish base.
- Carefully lift the circle cut out into the pie dish. and push it down into the base and up the sides.
- Using scissors of a sharp knife, cut around the edges to get rid of the excess pastry.
- Bake your shortcrust base on the middle shelf of the oven for 20 minutes or until slightly golden. Remove when done and set aside while you prepare your filling.
Leaf decorations
- Take the remaining dough. Knead it and roll it out again into a layer about 3mm thick.
- Using your leaf cookie cutters, cut out shapes of leaves.
- Use a sharp knife to score little lines down each of the leaves to make them look more realistic.
- Carefully place them on an oven tray lined with greaseproof paper.
- Beat 1 egg with some water. Brush the eggwash over the top of the leaves.
- Cook them for 20 minutes at 170°C (340°F) fan setting or until golden.
Banana and pumpkin filling
- Set the oven to 170°C (340°F) fan setting.
- In a blender, mix the pumpkin puree and ripe banana together. You can also use a handheld mixer if you prefer.
- Add in 3 large eggs, brown sugar, coconut cream, cinnamon and vanilla extract. Mix again.
- Finally add in the corn flour and combine gently.
- Pour the mixture out into the pre-cooked pastry base.
- Return the pie to the middle shelf of the oven and cook for 50 minutes. After 30 minutes, cover the pie with aluminium foil. Check it again at 40 minutes, and then at 50 minutes.
- It should be firm but still a little wobbly in the middle.
- Remove the pie from the oven when it’s ready and leave it out to cool for at least 3 hours. This is to avoid it cracking as it cools down.
- When you’re ready to serve, reheat your pumpkin pie, cut it into slices and add your favourite toppings to enjoy it with.