Banoffee Pie

After World War II international trade opened up like never before to the western world. Supermarkets across Europe and North America were supplied with tropical and exotic fruits like mangoes, pineapples, and bananas. This little number was first documented in England in the early 1970s. Pie, meet your two new best friends: banana and toffee.

Please forgive the tacky newspaper background. This was my contribution to a potluck at the office, lol

Ingredients

300 grams of Digestive Biscuits

1 can of sweetened condensed milk (400 grams)

225 grams of butter total (125 for the toffee and 100 for the biscuit base) 

2/3 cup of brown sugar

4 bananas

whipping cream (from a spray can)

1 pinch of ground cinnamon

1/2 pinch of freshly ground nutmeg

2 ounces of chocolate syrup 

Method

In a medium saucepan, melt 125 grams of butter. When the butter melts and begins to sizzle (or sing as the Italians say), add the brown sugar and mix to combine. Bring the butter and sugar to a boil. Add the condensed milk and stir to combine. When the mixture returns to the boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and stir constantly for 5 minutes to thicken it up. Set aside to cool.

Place the biscuits in a sealed bag and crush into crumbs with a rolling pin or flat, heavy object (a rolling pin will produce a fine, even crust and a flat object like the bottom of a pot or pan will produce a variety of crumbly textures). Empty the crumbs into a bowl and add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and 100 grams of melted butter. With clean hands, mix to combine until thoroughly incorporated.

Evenly disperse the biscuit mixture in the bottom of a 12-inch springform pan. With the back of your hand, gently press into a firm, even base. Place in the freezer for 30-45 minutes to set completely. Remove from freezer and scoop the cooled toffee evenly onto the biscuit base. The toffee will be very thick and sticky. Turn the pan sideways and rotate slowly to allow gravity to even out the toffee for you. Even out any areas that need touching up with the back of a spoon that's been dipped in very hot water.

Slice the bananas and arrange them on the toffee. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour to set. Remove from fridge and place on paper or cloth. Remove the sides of the pan. Top with whipped cream. Dip the head of a spoon in the chocolate syrup and move it rapidly in a zig-zag motion while alternating directions to create a design. Repeat until the desired look is achieved (only a little bit of the chocolate syrup will actually end up on the pie but you'll need enough of it to dip the head of the spoon). This part can be messy, that's what the paper or cloth beneath the pie is for.

Slice, serve, and enjoy!