Two Layer Peanut Butter and Banana Cream Pie

(A pie for Crystal)

Peanut butter and bananas are one of those food combinations that are just perfect. This pie has a light and fluffy peanut butter layer followed by fresh bananas and peanut butter crumbles (these alone are worth making the pie!!) and a creamy banana layer. This recipe makes one big and deep pie, so if you find you don’t have a deep pie dish, you can either cut the whipped topping in the peanut butter layer by half or spoon any extra of either or both fillings into a bowl or ramekin for a little treat for the cook. Late at night…spoon in hand and the fridge door open. Yeah.

Ingredients: (makes one [9 inch, deep dish] pie):

Crust:

40 vanilla wafers

1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted

Peanut butter crumbles:

½ cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

Peanut butter cream layer:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup confectioner’s sugar

1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Banana cream layer:

1 medium banana, sliced

1 cup cold milk

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 small (0.9 ounce) package instant banana pudding

1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  

For the crust: Toss the vanilla wafers and sugar into the food processor and process until coarse crumbs form. Drizzle the melted butter over and continue to process until the mixture is like damp sand. Pour the crumbs into a deep 9 inch pie plate that has been sprayed with cooking spray and use your fingers or the back of a spoon to press the crumbs over the bottom and sides of the pan. Bake for 12 minutes or until just lightly golden and remove to a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour. You can turn off the oven at this point, you won’t need it anymore.

For the peanut butter crumbles: Combine the ½ cup peanut butter and 1 cup confectioner’s sugar in a bowl and, using a fork, mix until big crumbly pieces form. If your crumbles are on the small side, just pick some up and squish in your first. Then they will form bigger crumbles. It’s also fun to do. Set aside.

For the peanut butter cream layer:

Using an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, peanut butter and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Mix until smooth and then, on the lowest speed, add the powdered sugar (because if you do it on high, it will end up all over the kitchen). Mix until thoroughly combined and then gently fold in the whipped topping a big spoonful at a time (it blends easier this way rather than just dumping the whipped topping in all at once). Spoon into your cooled pie shell and refrigerate until you are ready for the next layer-at least 30 minutes is best.

For the banana cream layer: Remove the pie from the fridge and place the banana slices over the peanut butter layer. Sprinkle on ½ of the peanut butter crumbles.

In a large bowl and again using your electric mixer, combine the milk, vanilla and banana pudding mix until smooth. With a spoon, fold in the whipped topping. Pour into the pie pan and spread to the edges of the pie. Refrigerate for at least another hour.

Finishing: When you are ready to serve, remove from the fridge and top with remaining peanut butter crumbles.