Banana Cream Pie and a Giveaway!

Today I made Banana Cream Pie for the first time and it came out really good.  As I mentioned in the previous post for Empanadas, Latin hand pies, I am making pies in honor of next weeks All American Pie Festival, an event that has been held in Celebration, Florida for the past 12 years.  My family looks forward to this event every year.  It is a lot of fun for the entire family.  You can read my write up on this event here:

http://www.saturdaynightsuppers.com/2012/05/2012-great-american-pie-festival.html

You can also check out this official website for more information:

http://www.piecouncil.org/

I have been given the opportunity to giveaway a family 4 pack of tickets to the Never Ending Pie Buffet! If you will be in the Orlando area during the Great American Pie Festival (April 27th and 28th, 2013) and would like to win these here's what to do:

Please place a comment on this post telling me what your favorite pie is. One comment per entrant please. Contest ends Monday April 22, 2013 at midnight Eastern Standard Time. The winner will be picked by random number generator on Tuesday April 23, 2013  and will be notified by email.

Banana Cream Pie

1 refrigerated pie crust (I used Pillsbury)
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tbls cornstarch
2  tbls all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/4 cup milk
3 large egg yolks
1 tbls unsalted butter
2 tsp banana extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 medium bananas thinly sliced
1 recipe Whipped Cream Topping, below

Preheat oven to 425.  Roll out dough and fit into a 9 inch deep dish pie pan.  Crimp edges.  Prick the shell all over with a fork .  Bake shell for 15 minutes until brown and fully cooked.  Set aside while you make filling.

In a saucepan combine sugars, cornstarch, flour and salt.  Whisk in cream and milk.  Heat over medium until the mixture boils and thickens, about 8-9 minutes, stirring constantly.   Remove from heat. 

Beat egg yolks on high with an electric mixer until light.  Beat in 1 cup of the hot mixture.  Stir the egg yolk mixture into the sauce pan.  Return to medium heat and cook 2-3 minutes until thick.  (do not let boil)  Remove from heat and stir in butter and extracts.  Cool for 15 minutes.

Spoon 1/2 the filling into cooked pie shell.  Cover the filling with banana slices.  Spoon remaining filling over the bananas.  Cover pie and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Whipped Cream Topping

1 tsp unflavored gelatin
4 tsp cold water
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup confectioners sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

Dissolve the gelatin in the water.  Heat water in the microwave and stir the gelatin mixture until thoroughly dissolved.  Beat the cream with an electric mixer on high until it starts to thicken.  Beat in the gelatin mixture then the sugar and vanilla.  Beat until soft peaks form.  Spread the whipped topping over the pie.