Name: Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 395 min
Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups Ginger Snap crumbs (about 25-30 cookies); 1/2 cup sugar; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted); 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1/4 cup cornstarch; 4 large egg yolks; 2 1/2 cups milk; 2 tablespoons butter; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 4 ounces dark or bittersweet chocolate (chopped); 1-2 medium bananas (sliced); 1 1/2 cups heavy cream; 3-4 tablespoons powdered sugar; chocolate shavings (for garnish)

If you love Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie, this is your lucky day! I first made this pie in 2010 not long after I started blogging at A Bountiful Kitchen! The creamy layers of chocolate custard, vanilla custard fresh bananas, all nestled in a ginger cookie crust and topped with whipped cream is so good, you’ll want to hide a slice for later….

The first time I ate this pie at a recipe club holiday dinner, I immediately fell in love. I mean, how does it get better than homemade custard, chocolate, and cream?? It simply does not. This is a crowd pleaser pie. One that wins awards at bake offs! And you don’t even have to make a pastry. Just crush cookies, press and bake!

This pie is a variation on classic banana cream pie, but with a fresh twist! I love traditional banana cream pie, but an added layer of chocolate on the bottom of the pie, and the ginger snap crust takes this dessert to next-level deliciousness!

I combined a few different methods until coming up with the perfect black bottom banana cream pie that works every time! Here’s why I love it and I know you’ll love it too!

Why I love Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie

Easy to make Ginger Snap crust
Rich, homemade custard
Can be made ahead and served the next day
Crust can be made weeks ahead and frozen
Crowd pleaser, everyone loves this pie!

Ingredients for Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie

Ginger Snap cookies, about 1/2 box or 30 cookies
butter
salt
sugar
cornstarch
egg yolks
milk
vanilla
dark or bittersweet chocolate
bananas
heavy cream
powdered sugar

How to make Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie

Prepare crust and bake, let cool
Make custard on stovetop
Divide custard in half, add chocolate to half of custard whisk and let melt
Let custard cool
Spread chocolate custard in cooled crust
Layer bananas on top of chocolate custard
Spread vanilla custard on top of bananas
Chill pie for 6-8 hours
Whip cream, chop or grate chocolate
Top pie with cream and chocolate, serve

How to freeze and store Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie

This pie is easily prepared ahead. The crust may be made up to three months ahead and frozen. Follow directions for making crust, bake, cool and wrap before freezing. When ready to use, let thaw on counter top before assembly and filling.

To store this pie, place in refrigerator and cover with a piece of parchment paper covering the pie and tucked under the pie, then loosely cover with plastic wrap.

5 from 1 vote

Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie

This is the best of both worlds chocolate custard, vanilla custard and bananas in a ginger crust topped with heavy cream!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword banana pie, chocolate pie, cream pie, pie

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

chill time 6 hours

Total Time 6 hours 35 minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

Crust:

1 1/4 cups Ginger Snap crumbs about 25-30 cookies
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Filling and Topping:

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
4 large egg yolks
2 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 ounces dark or bittersweet chocolate chopped
1-2 medium bananas sliced
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3-4 tablespoons powdered sugar
chocolate shavings for garnish

Instructions

Crust:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place the rack in the middle of the oven. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie plate.
Combine Ginger Snaps with sugar and salt. Pulse in a food processor until no chunks remain. Add melted butter and pulse a few more times. Press the crumbs evenly into the pie plate. Bake for 10 minutes, until the crust is lightly browned. Let cool completely. Set aside.

Custard:

In a medium size saucepan, combine: sugar, cornstarch, egg yolks and 1/2 cup of milk and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the remaining 2 cups of milk.
Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for about 5 minutes, until the custard is thickened. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla until the butter is melted. Pour half of the vanilla custard into a medium bowl and set aside.
Whisk the chopped chocolate into the custard in the saucepan until melted. Let cool.
Once the custard is cooled, spread the chocolate custard evenly into the pie crust and top with the sliced bananas. Spread the vanilla custard over the bananas to cover completely. Refrigerate the pie for 6-8 hours or overnight.

Garnish and serve

Before serving, whip the cream with powdered sugar. Gently spread whipped cream on top of the pie. Use a grater or vegetable peeler to make chocolate curls or finely chop chocolate as a garnish.

Recipe Notes

Do not use a pie plate that is too deep, about 1 1/2 inch deep works best.
I use Trader Joe’s dark chocolate bars for the chocolate layer and also the chocolate garnish.
For milk, I prefer whole or 2%.
Be patient when making the custard layer. Cook the custard over medium heat, stirring or whisking constantly. The custard will thicken after it is cooked and will also thicken a bit more after cooling. Lay a piece of Saran Wrap over the custard after cooling a bit to prevent a layer from forming on top of the custard.
It is extremely important to allow the crust and the custard to cool completely before assembly. Make sure to allow enough time for cooling and chilling the pie after assembled.
To make ahead, prepare the crust (up to 3 days) early and the custard the day before serving. On day of serving, or the night before, assemble the pie and chill for 6-8 hours. The crust can also be frozen for up to three months.

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Desserts | November 10, 2023