From the Archives: Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pies

Now that spring is hesitantly asserting its presence in Michigan, we can start thinking about warm weather, which, here in the 4oz Kitchen, is synonymous with no-bake pie season. This is a recipe I originally made a couple of summers ago. These peanut butter banana cream pies fit perfectly in jam jars with their lids sealed tight, making them ideal for picnic supplies or road trip sustenance -- just make sure you keep them cool until you're ready to eat.

Step One of this crowd-pleasing recipe (members of said crowd with peanut allergies notwithstanding) was to prepare the vanilla bean pastry cream. Don't be fooled by the name, though; by the time it's done cooling, you'll have a light, sweet custard perfect for offsetting the heavier banana and rich peanut butter components of the pies. This vanilla custard is a great, versatile base that I've used in berry tarts as well as cream pies like this one. Whole vanilla beans are more expensive than a bottle of extract for sure, but the intensity and quality of flavor steeped out of the real deal can't be matched. (Sidebar: please excuse my dirty stove top. Those splatters are from the previous night's baingan bharta adventures). 

All the components of PBBCP ready to be assembled: vanilla bean pastry cream, Nilla wafer crumb crust, peanut butter filling, and, of course, the bananas. I think the most stressful part of this recipe was getting all of the banana slices safely tucked into their layers before they started to go brown and ugly. #freshfruitproblems





After a foundation of crust, the layers alternate between peanut butter, banana, and custard (I found that order worked best for spreading and tamping purposes). It was as easy as one, two, om nom nom.

When the layers reached the edge of the jars, I stopped filling to make sure the tops could screw on snugly. After capping my jars, I put them in the refrigerator so the pies could set until I was ready to pack them up for my picnic. When I brought them out to serve the next day, I also had some home-made whipped cream on hand to add as a topping once the jars were opened, and I packed the extra Nilla wafer crust crumbles to sprinkle on the very top for extra texture. 

A Friendly PSA: Remember that potassium is an important part of a balanced diet, plus we should all try to eat more fruits while they're in season. The fat in peanut butter is the good kind, and peanuts are a source of protein. Plus custard has calcium, and the cookie crust has grains...so these treats cover ALL four of the food groups in a fashion that is both portion-conscious and tasty. In short: Eat up! Your body will thank you.