Banoffee Pie

Hello again!! My first recipe is very close to my heart... I would say it's my earliest childhood memory, eating the stuff whilst skipping through green glades of the English countryside... but I'd be lying and now I'm rambling again. It's just occurred to me that this might get a bit text-heavy, but do not fret (if you happened to be) as I plan to add a few visual aids later... for now, here's the recipe.

This is truly THE BEST banoffee pie. Do I have anything to compare it to? Um, not really. Is it still absolutely gorgeous? YES! It's a combination of the Hairy Biker's and the BBC GoodFood recipe, perfected. Don't listen to anyone else: this is tried-and-tested, and definitely my birthday cake this year. Follow the instructions and you can't go far wrong... unless you eat it all before it's done. (is there a word for the excessive use of ellipsis? I am guilty of it.) So it's om nom, easy AND a sure favourite! Can you get better?

All the ingredients

Banoffee Pie
Prep time: 1 hr 40 mins (don't be daunted)
Serves: 12
Cooking temp: Gas 4, 180C
Cooking time: 10-12 mins (for toasting the biscuits)

Ingredients
300g original Hobnobs (that's a whole packet) 
100g melted butter
3 bananas
350ml double cream
1 tbsp. icing sugar
chocolate to grate on top
For the caramel:
397g condensed milk, sweetened (yes really, 397! That's how it comes)
115g muscavado/brown sugar
115g butter

Method

Finished result... hungry now?

1. Heat up the oven.
2. Crush the biscuits up, either with a spoon or a blender.. a blender is easier but make sure there is a lid! The crumbs should be fine. Alternatively, you could put the biscuits into a freezer bag (sealed) and smash with a rolling pin until they are a fine powder, then empty into the bowl.
3. Add the melted butter (100g one) and mix well. Press it into a 24cm baking tin with a removable bottom and fairly high sides: this is so it doesn't go sloop everywhere. The biscuit should nicely press over the bottom.
   
4. Bake for 10 mins until golden brown and set. Leave aside to cool.
5. Take a non-stick saucepan and melt the butter (115g). Add the brown sugar, stirring constantly. Cook over a low heat. The mixture should be smooth with no oil globules (yucky!!)
   
6. Add the condensed milk and bring to a simmer (keep stirring!) cook for 3 minutes, in which time you should get a lovely caramel-brown colour.
   
7. Pour it all over the biscuit base and chill in the fridge for an hour. This will help it set (don't put anything hot in the fridge, it should cool first.)
   
   
   
   
   
8. Take out the tin and chop up the banana into slices. Cover the caramel in the slices. You can use other fruit too, strawberries are nice for summer.

   

   Avec strawberries... strawboffee!

9. Whip the icing sugar and cream together until it forms peaks but is still spreadable. Cover the banana.
   
10. Grate over chocolate.
    
11. Remove the sides of the tin and it should keep together. (you might want to chill it again for a bit) And that's it! A note of warning, this is pretty calorie packed, and can last a few days in the fridge and still keep. I am not to be held accountable for addiction/overeating!

    

    Ta dah! Mmm.