Salted Caramel Banana Pie

We had friends over recently for dinner, so I was looking for something impressive and/or really delicious to serve for dessert.  I wanted it to be something you just don't see and/or eat very often.  That's when this delicious pie came to mind.  I've made it before a few times, and it's a favorite of mine, mostly because of the amazing salted caramel sauce - it just makes the whole dessert out of this world delicious.  In fact, I confess that as I was making this pie, I just might have eaten a few spoonfuls of the caramel sauce along the way.  It is soooo good!!

This dessert was the perfect choice for our friends - they loved it!  Someone even asked if there was rum in it.  No rum....it's that amazing caramel sauce!  My husband, who has always declared apple pie as his favorite pie, decided that this is his new favorite pie.  I'm telling you people, even though making the homemade caramel sauce takes a bit of extra time - IT IS WORTH IT!  You just gotta try this.  I promise you will love it ☺

Salted Caramel Banana Pie (adapted from Ann Thornton)

45 Vanilla Wafers + extra for layering pie
6 tbsp butter, melted
3 large bananas, sliced
1 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp confectioner's sugar

Filling:
3/4 c sugar
1/3 c cornstarch
2 large eggs
2 egg yolks
2 cups half & half
2 tsp vanilla

Caramel Sauce:  Click here for the recipe to make the caramel sauce.  After it's mostly cooled add 1 tsp of salt and stir well to combine.

Preheat oven to 350 and spray a 9 in pie plate with cooking spray.  Pulse 45 vanilla wafers in a food processor until it turns into crumbs.  Transfer to a bowl and add the melted butter. Stir to combine then pour into the pie plate, and firmly press the mixture down with your fingers and up the sides of the dish.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool completely before assembling the pie.

For the filling:  Combine all the ingredients, except the vanilla, in a medium saucepan and whisk them all together until well incorporated.  Continue to whisk as it cooks until it thickens, should be like the consistency of pudding. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla.  Set aside to cool.  

Topping:  In the bowl of an electric mixer add the cup of heavy cream and beat on high until it starts to form a whipped cream.  Add the confectioner's sugar and continue to whip until stiff peaks form.  

To assemble pie:  Slice the bananas, place in bowl and coat with 1 cup of the caramel sauce.  Arrange about half of the banana slices on the bottom of the crust.  Spread half of the filling over the bananas, top with vanilla wafers, then the rest of the banana slices.  Spread the remaining filling over the bananas, then top with the whipped cream.  Drizzle more caramel sauce over top and serve!