Banana Cream Trifle

I decided to make a Banana Cream Trifle for a monthly gathering, which is basically a fancied name for banana pudding.  Originally if was going to be a banana cream pie, but since nilla wafers are better than crush with banana pudding, why make crust?

OK, so this is a pretty simple concept with 4 ingredients:

1)  A layer of vanilla wafers.  Traditionally you use the 'Nilla wafer brand, but I was at Trader Joe's and so I used their "ultimate vanilla wafers".  They worked well, and I endorse them

2) Bananas.  You need 3 and they should be ripe, y'know with no green and some brown.

3) Whipped Cream.    I made my own, using 1.5c heavy cream and ~2tbspns confectioners sugar whipped in a freezer-chilled metal bowl.

4) Pastry Cream.  More on that below.


The first step was making the pastry cream, and I pretty much followed steps 3 & 4 of this recipe:
http://www.marthastewart.com/331723/banana-cream-pie

However, when I make this again I will introduce a few caveats:

• `5tbspns corn starch is a bit excessive, and gave a slightly chalky taste to me, at least before cooking.  On food and cooking recommends 5-10g / 0.5- 1tbspn per cup of milk.  I think next time I will do 3.5tbspn or 4 total.
• Straining is for suckers
• Whisking is for suckers, and scrapes pots.
• Egg yolk amylase will digest your starch overnight if the mix is not brought to a boil and kept there for a minute.  This is very different from a creme anglaise or egg only custard which needs to be kept from boiling.  I believe this is why step 4 says "until bubbles appear in the center".  In any case, don't be too skittish with the heat.
• I added 2 tspns of vanilla extract to the pastry cream once I had removed it fromt he fire.  This added a lot flavor-wise
• Instead of letting this cool in the fridge over night and then assembling the pie, I should have poured it over the wafers right away.  It is a pain to work with once solidified.

That was so many caveats that I am just going to re-write my process:

1. In a pot combine 4tbspn corn strach, 1/4 tspn salt, 2/3 cup sugar, stir to mix
2. Gradually add 3 cups whole milk, stirring to mix
3. Heat over medium low heat until the milk begins to thicken from the starch
4. Turn off the heat, and whisk 1/4 of the mixture into a bowl containing 4 egg yolks
5. Dump this mix back into the pot
6. Continue to heat over LOW heat with constant stirring, until the mixture boils/bubbles int he middle.
7. Immediately transfer to a new container

The last step was assembly.  

First I layered wafers to cover the bottom of the pie pan, first in on layer, and then with a sparse second layer of upside down wafers to cover the natural gaps.  Second I stood wafers up around the edge of the pan.  I thought this made a pretty effect. Next, I added 1/2 the pastry cream, followed by a layer of sliced banana, then another layer of pastry cream followed by a second banana layer.  On top of all this I spread whipped cream.

Much as I remembered from my childhood, this dish was better than the sum of its parts.  So good in fact, that we had devoured it all before I thought to take a photo:

In conclusion, I recommend this for the crust-phobic or effort phobic, or anyone who just likes cream pies.

P.S.  Look at the pretty pie plate I got for Christmas!