~ County fair banana cream pie Recipe ~

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.x    [from The Grocery Consumer]
 
       Title: County Fair Banana Cream Pie                                
  Categories: Pies
       Yield: 8 servings     
 
 ----------------------------------NUT CRUST---------------------------------
       2 c  pecans
       1 c  butter,softened
       3 c  flour
       1 ea egg,beaten
     1/2 c  sugar
 
 ------------------------------CHOCOLATE LAYER-------------------------------
       1 c  chocolate chips
       1 ea stick unsalted butter
       1 tb light corn syrup
       1 ts vanilla
 
 -------------------------------BANANA CUSTARD-------------------------------
       1 c  milk
       4 ea egg yolks
       1 c  sugar
       5 tb flour
       3 tb unsalted butter
       1 tb rum or 1 tsp. vanilla
       2 ea bananas
       1    juice of 1/2 lemon
       2 c  heavy cream
       1    chopped pecans,optional
 
   For the crust: Chop pecans very fine,preferably in a food processor        
   fitted with a metal blade.Place in bowl with other crust ingredients       
   and mix until well blended.Divide in half and press into the bottom        
   of 2 pie pans.Chill 30 minutes.                                            
   Bake the pie crusts for 25 minutes @ 350 degrees.Cool completely.          
   For chocolate layer:Melt chocolate with butter and corn syrup in the       
   top of a double boiler set over hot,not boiling water.Stir                 
   frequently. Remove from heat and cool,then stir in vanilla.Divide          
   between cooked pie crusts and spread evenly.                               
   For Filling:Heat milk in a medium size saucepan over medium heat to        
   scald.Beat the egg yolks and gradually add sugar.Then beat in flour.       
   Gradually stir in hot milk.Transfer to medium saucepan and                 
   cook,stirring constantly over medium high heat(use a whisk).The            
   mixture will lump as it begins to thicken.Bring the mixture to a boil      
   and boil 1 minute,stirring constantly.Remove from the pan from heat        
   and continue to stir until the mixture is smooth.Then,beat in butter       
   and optional rum.Cool to room temperature.                                 
   Peel the bananas,slice very thin and toss with lemon juice.Whip 1          
   cup of the cream until it is firm but not stiff.Mix about 1/4 of the       
   cream into the cooled egg mixture to lighten it,then fold the              
   remaining cream and bananas into egg mixture.Fill the pastry shells        
   with banana cream and smooth to even.Beat remaining cream until            
   stiff. Spoon around edge of the pies and sprinkle with chopped             
   pecans,if desired.Makes 2 pies.                                            
                                                                              
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