Momofuku Milk Bar's Banana Cream Pie

Yield
1 9-inch or 10-inch round pie

Note: Changes to the recipe - I've reduced the salt in the chocolate crumbs, made it in a bowl like Tosi did in Chang's show and skipped the additional sugar and salt when making the crust as I find them redundant (she didn't use them in the show either). Most people who tried this recipe complained about the pie being too runny despite having been in the fridge for hours. So I did a little bit of research and found that you actually need 3 sheets of gelatin (equivalent to 1 packet of powdered gelatin, 2 1/4 teaspoons) to set the pie (more than 2 cups of liquid) into something you can slice.

Chocolate Crumb

• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup good-quality cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Chocolate Crust

• 1 of the chocolate crumb recipe above
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of room temperature butter

Banana Cream

• 2 very ripe (black) large bananas
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 egg yolks
• 3 gelatin sheets (or 2 1/4 teaspoons powdered gelatin)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon yellow food coloring
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1 ripe (dark yellow) banana, sliced

Make the Chocolate Crumb
Heat the oven to 300°F/150°C. Combine the flour, cornstarch, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk the ingredients to combine. Gradually add the melted butter and mix with a spatula or wooden spoon till the mixture starts to come together in small clusters. Spread the crumbs on a parchment line sheet pan. Bake till dry to the touch, about 20 minutes. Let the crumbs cool completely before using. (Refrain from snacking or eating the crumbs no matter how inviting they look, otherwise you will have a very thin pie crust.)

Make the Banana Cream
Meanwhile, make the banana cream. Combine the black bananas, 1/3 cup heavy cream and milk in a blender and puree until totally smooth. Add in the caster sugar, cornstarch, salt and egg yolks. Blend till smooth and pour into a medium saucepan. Clean out the blender. Bloom the gelatin. Soak it in a small bowl of cold water for about 3-4 minutes. To bloom powdered gelatin, sprinkle it evenly onto the surface of 1/4 cup of cold water in a small dish. Allow to soften for 3-5 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the contents of the pan and heat over medium-low heat. As the banana mixture heats up, it will thicken due to the cornstarch added. Bring to a boil and continue to whisk vigorously for 3-4 minutes to fully cook out the starch. The mixture will resemble thick glue, bordering on cement (like a thick crème pâtissière), with a color to match. Scoop the contents of the pan back into the blender. Gently squeeze to remove any excess water from the bloomed sheet gelatin and add it into the blender. Blend until smooth and even. Color the mixture with a bit of yellow food coloring until it is bright yellow. (Tosi says, "Banana creams don't get that brilliant yellow color on their own." I think a few drops wouldn't hurt.) Transfer the mixture to a heatproof container and chill in the refrigerator 60 minutes or until completely cooled.

Make the Chocolate Crust
While waiting for the banana cream to cool, make the chocolate crust. Break up the chocolate crumbs into a food processor and pulse till broken slightly. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and pulse till mixture is pliable, adding remaining butter if necessary. Press the crust mixture firmly onto the pie plate/pan, making sure the bottom and sides are evenly covered. I put the pie crust to set in the fridge while finishing the banana cream.

Assemble the Banana Cream Pie
Using a heady whisk or a mixer with a whisk attachment, whip the cream and powdered sugar to medium-soft peaks. Add the cold banana mixture to the whipped cream gradually and slowly whisk until evenly colored and homogeneous. Pour about half of the banana cream into the chocolate pie shell. Lay out the sliced banana evenly and then cover the pie with the remaining filling. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. Pie keeps chilled up to 5 days (good luck with that).

Do ahead
Chocolate crumbs can be made 2-3 days ahead, stored in an airtight container. The banana cream can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.