Banana Cream Pie

I have been making this pie for a while now.  I wish I had the picture my Dad took at my first attempt to make it - when I somehow got whipped cream all over the kitchen.  Alas, I have become good at this pie and have no more disastrous anecdotes to share.

Too pretty to eat

But the first bite is sublime

Never leftovers

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups graham-cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup + 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup melted butter + 1 Tbsp non-melted butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 1/4 cups milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 medium bananas
• 1 lemon
• apple jelly

1. Preheat oven to 375degF.  In a medium bowl, mix cracker crumbs (to make: blend in a blender or place in a strong bag and rolled fine with a rolling pin), 1/4 cup sugar, and melted butter.  With back of spoon, press into bottom and side of pie dish, making a small rim.
2. Bake 8 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool.
   
3. In 2-quart saucepan with spoon, mix 1/2 cup sugar, flour, and salt.  Stir in milk until smooth.  Over medium heat, cook mixture, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened and begins to boil (about 10 minutes).  Boil 1 minute.  Remove immediately from heat and set aside.  ***
4. In cup with wire whisk, beat egg yolks with small amount of hot milk mixture.  Slowly pour egg mixture into saucepan, stirring rapidly to prevent lumping.  Over low heat, cook, stirring constantly until very thick (do not boil) and mixture mounds when dropped from spoon.
5. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla.  Pour into bowl and cover surface with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate until cool, about 2 hours.
6. Peel and slice 3 bananas over bottom of piecrust.  Top with filling.  Chill until set, about 2 hours.
7. Whip the heavy cream and spread evenly on top of pie.
8. To garnish, grate peel of lemon; sprinkle around top edge of pie.  Cut lemon in half and squeeze juice into bowl.  Into juice, peel and slice 1 banana; toss to coat; drain on paper towels.
9. Arrange banana slices in center of top of pie.  
10. In 1-quart saucepan over low heat, heat 1/3 cup apple jelly **** until just melted; brush over banana slices.  Chill.

***   If using Gluten-free all-purpose flour such as Bob's Red Mill brand, add 1 Tbsp psyllium husk powder at this point in the recipe.

****  Apricot jelly is lovely in place of apple jelly.  And microwaving is fine instead of heating over the stovetop.

This recipe is adapted from the 1989 Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook.  My first grown-up cookbook.  Previously, I used one illustrated with Disney characters.