Banoffee pie is a classic English dessert made of sliced bananas, caramel, whipped cream in a Graham crust topped with shaved chocolate. This walnut banoffee pie has a slight twist because it has a walnut-infused crust and a whipped cream topping mixed with a pinch of cardamom. This no-bake pie tastes like home and that’s why it’s in my cookbook Cozy Delights. It’s creamy, packed with a caramel sauce and a crunchy cookie bottom.
The caramel filling
I didn’t want to make caramel sauce from scratch so I opted for a can of dulce de leche instead. You can check out this recipe from the Preppy Kitchen if you want a homemade caramel sauce. If you want to make this banoffee pie with homemade caramel, then you can start cooking that first. If not start with the crust. As previously mentioned, this crust has walnuts in it. So you will need a food processor for best results. You can alternatively pound the Graham crackers with a rolling pin to turn them to crumbs. However, I’ve found that the crumbs don’t crush evenly and you might have big chunks of crackers lying in it.
Assembling the banoffee pie
The ultimate banoffee pie is all about the layering: first is the crust at the bottom, followed by the caramel, then the bananas and the whipped cream. What makes this pie amazing is how long you leave it in the fridge to set. Since it is no-bake, it needs a long time to set in the fridge so that the crust can harden, and the remaining toppings don’t slide off the pie. I highly recommend using semi-ripe bananas because it looks better after it is refrigerated. Presentation aside, it is easier to work with bananas which aren’t too mushy.
For more sweet-tooth desserts which are easy as hell, check out my holiday cookbook Cozy Delights!
Ingredients
Crust
14 Graham crackers or 2 cups Graham crumbs
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Non-stick spray or cooking oil to grease pie pan
Filling
355ml can dulce de leche
2 cups chilled whipping cream
4 tablespoons confectioners' (icing) sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3 bananas, peeled and sliced evenly, plus extra to garnish
Chocolate shavings, to garnish
Instructions
Crust
- Pulse the Graham crackers/crumbs with the walnuts until smooth.
- Transfer this to a bowl and mix with melted butter and brown sugar until damp.
- Lightly grease a 10-inch pie pan with cooking spray or oil.
- Press the Graham-walnut crumbs into the greased pan and use the flat bottom of a small glass to press the crumbs into the pan.
- Refrigerate the crust for at least 4 hours.
Filling
- After the crust sets in the fridge, spread the dulce de leche into the crust with an offset spatula. Be careful not to poke the crust as you spread the dulce de leche over it.
- Place as many banana slices as can fit over the dulce de leche.
- Using a hand or stand mixer, whip the cream with the icing sugar and cardamom until stiff peaks form on the surface.
- Next, spread the whipped cream mixture over the bananas.
- Garnish with chocolate shavings and lightly wrap the top of the pie with cling wrap. Refrigerate for at least 6-8 hours or overnight to set properly.
- Serve the pie cold.
Notes
Store leftovers for about 2 days in the fridge.