banoffee pie

A few years ago, I went on a trip to Ireland. It was so much fun and so beautiful there and I can't wait to go back some time with B. I also want to go to Scotland because I weirdly think bagpipes are like the saddest sound ever and I love it. Anyway, while I was in Ireland I happened to try this amazing thing called "Banoffee Pie." Banoffee = bananas + toffee. I wanted to make it as soon as I got back, but all of the recipes weirded me out and I was convinced it was an Irish secret and I would never be able to make it until I hunted down a leprechaun and shook him. Or something.

But then.....Pinterest saved the day! As always. I found a recipe and kept it, trying to decide when to make it. I was a little nervous, but also I wanted other people to try it because I needed people to think it was the most delicious thing they had tasted or I would be disappointed (yes, I set myself up for failure like this all.the.time).

At my work, we have this kind of "rule" that on your birthday, you bring in cake. It's like in grade school, when you brought in cheesecake cupcakes. Nobody at work really knows when your birthday is, but they will definitely help celebrate it. So I decided to make banoffee pie. I realize that I made the mistake of trying out something new for the first time on a large group of people, but luckily it turned out fantastic! Also, it's really easy to make, so you should go out and make it now. I apologize that I don't have more pictures-I assembled it the morning of my birthday, and wasn't thinking about pictures. I was just thinking about eating it.

Ingredients
recipe from here
Makes one pie

1 can sweetened condensed milk (I only found the smaller cans so I ended up using 1.5)
2-3 ripe(ish) bananas
8 oz whipping cream
1 pre made graham cracker crust (that shit is hard to make from scratch, but if you are Betty Crocker, feel free to make it yourself)

Directions
1. Remove the labels from the can(s). Put the unopened can(s) of condensed milk in a pot and cover up the can with water. Put a lid on and boil on for 2.5 hours. Make sure that the cans are always covered with water! Let cool. (This was the step that weirded me out-boiling/cooking condensed milk makes toffee?!? Yes, yes it does. Trust).

check out my cans

2. Slice bananas into the graham cracker crust, covering the bottom generously with banana.

3. Open the can(s) of condensed milk and stir with a knife. Pour over the bananas until covered. 

image source

4. Whip cream and cover the pie with it. Optional-grate some chocolate over the top.

image source

5. Refrigerate or just eat it!

Notes:

I started this project at night, so once the 2.5 hours were up, I just turned the stove off, left the cans in the water, and went to bed. The next morning, I opened the jars and stirred and everything turned out fine.

B didn't want the whipping cream to be too sweet, so he only added a little bit of sugar. At first I thought he was crazy, but the pie ended up being really sweet, so I was glad. I might even omit sugar from the whipped cream completely next time.

I refrigerated mine because I brought it to work and I think it helped solidify it a little bit. But I'm sure if you ate it immediately, it would be delicious.

Everyone at my work loved it (including me) and multiple people asked begged me for the recipe. I made two pies so that B and I would have one to eat all to ourselves, and it was really easy to double it. I used 3 cans of condensed milk total since I needed about 1.5 to fill a whole pie shell.