PIE # 2 - MONTANA BANANARAMA

 It’s a cruel, cruel winter.

Remember Bananarama, the British pop group whose hit “Cruel Summer” reached the top ten on song charts in the early 80s? As I sit here thawing out after tackling farm chores in minus 33 degrees, I’m croaking out the lyrics to this song, albeit with poetic license.

“It’s a cruel, cruel winter, leaving me here on my own. It’s a cruel, cruel winter, now that you’re gone.”

My hubby, who normally handles the outside chores, has taken his scout troop on a weekend campout thus leaving me on my own to handle all the tasks in his absence. I layered on every piece of arctic weather gear to brave the cold and I still shivered. But no wonder, with the windchill factored in, it felt like minus 50 degrees!

It’s a cruel winter indeed for a former tropical girlie to endure the coldest mercury reading of her entire life. I’ve learned to embrace winter over the past three decades living in Montana. But in this very moment as my frost-nipped fingertips tap out the second installment of my pie blog, tropical montages play out in my mind. I’m strolling along a golden beach, sipping a fruity drink while gazing at surfers riding the waves on a sapphire sea. Palm trees gently sway as sunbeams peek through their fronds, and from a distance a mellow ukulele melody floats the island breeze.

This Hawaiian reverie is the inspiration for Pie #2.

I’m in Montana and I’m frozen
Banana pie is what I’ve chosen
To the islands we shall go
Leave behind the cold and snow!

Introducing MONTANA BANANARAMA at the COCO CABANA!

The crust is a shortbread. The addition of ground macadamia nuts and grated coconut lends a spunky Hawaiian punch.

The filling is last week’s vanilla custard recipe sandwiched between ample slices of ripe bananas and billowy clouds of freshly whipped cream. You’ll need a 9 ½” deep dish pie pan to show off this pie. You’ll likely have some custard filling leftover. Chill it, add some sliced bananas and serve it to your gluten-intolerant friends! If you’re a Montana huckleberry hound and have huckleberries stashed away in your freezer, toss in a few for a summery taste of the Treasure State.

It’s a cruel, cruel winter where frostbite threatens, but one bite of Montana Bananarama pie will stave off winter’s woes!

MACADAMIA SHORTBREAD PIE CRUST

1/2 cup macadamia nuts
1 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 unsweetened grated coconut

In a coffee mill or small blender, grind macadamia nuts until a thick paste forms. Using your hands, mix macadamia paste, butter, sugars, flour and coconut together in a large bowl. Squeeze and work dough until it holds together. Press into a deep dish 9 1/2" pie pan making sure the dough is pressed a little higher than the lip of the pie pan to prevent shrinking during baking. Chill for 2 hours. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and bake crust for 15 minutes. Cool.

VANILLA CUSTARD FILLING

2 cups sugar
½ cup cornstarch
Scant ¼ teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups 1% milk
2 cups half & half
8 large egg yolks
4 tablespoons butter, cut into ½” cubes
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 ripe bananas, sliced
1/2 cup huckleberries (optional)

Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in a large, heavy saucepan (avoid Teflon and other non-stick pans). Whisk together milk, half & half and egg yolks and add to pan ingredients. Whisk to incorporate. Place over medium heat and whisk nonstop until the mixture begins to thicken. This should take about 5-8 minutes. Once it comes to a low boil, continue whisking until mixture is quite thick, an additional 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat and whisk in butter and vanilla until incorporated. Let cool on counter for one hour.

Line cooled pie shell with one layer of sliced bananas on bottom and up the sides. Add a few huckleberries to bottom layer if desired. Fill pie shell with cooled custard. Chill for several hours or overnight.

TOPPING

2 cups heavy or whipping cream, well chilled
2 ripe bananas
1/4 cup each chopped macadamia nuts and toasted coconut for garnish (optional)

Prepare topping when chilled pie is ready to be served. Slice bananas and place atop pie. Using a chilled medium-size bowl and chilled beaters, beat the cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Continue beating just until stiff. Mound the remaining whipped cream over the bananas. Sprinkle with chopped macadamia nuts and toasted coconut, if desired. Slice and serve! This is a rich pie, so slice into conservative portions. You can always go back for seconds!