Crust
6 graham crackers (full sheets)
6 slices of bacon
1/3 cup pecans
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
3 tablespoons water (room temperature)
1 1/2 cups non-fat/skim milk
1 egg yolk
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 bananas (medium, very ripe, but not too mushy)
Whipped Cream Topping
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional: banana slices for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350F. Spread the pecans on a
parchment lined baking sheet and bake until the nuts begin to brown and
become fragrant, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the bacon on a
griddle or in a pan until very crispy. Transfer the bacon to a plate
lined with paper towel to cool. Into a food processor, add all of the
ingredients for the crust, making sure to break the larger items into
pieces so that they will be easier to break down. Pulse the crust
ingredients until you are left with a crumb mixture that resembles wet
sand.
Grease a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray or
a little bit of oil. Evenly divide the crust mixture between the 12
cups and press the crumbs into a thin layer, working it as far up the
sides of the cup as possible. You can use a small cup (like a shot
glass) to press it in more evenly. Bake the crust for about 10 minutes,
or until it has browned a bit. Allow it to cool before filling.
To prepare the filling, put the water into a
small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the top to prevent
clumping. Stir the gelatin until it appears to have absorbed all of the
water. In a medium sauce pan, combine the brown sugar, flour and salt.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk and egg yolk. Pour the milk
mixture into the sugar mixture and cook over medium heat, whisking
constantly, until the pudding thickens and begins to boil, about 5
minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the gelatin and
the vanilla. Let the pudding come to room temperature before filling the
crust.
While the pudding cools, slice the bananas,
about 1/8-1/4 inch thick. Place about 1/2 of the banana slices in the
bottom of the muffin cups. Top those slices with about half of the
pudding. Top that with the remaining banana slices, then the remaining
pudding. Refrigerate the pies for a couple of hours so that they can set
fully.
To make the whipped cream, whisk (either by hand
or with a hand mixer) until it becomes frothy. Add the sugar and
vanilla. Then, continue to whisk until you have stiff peaks and the
mixture is thick and spoonable.
To plate, work a knife around the sides of the
pie and gently remove it from the muffin tin. If some of the crust
remains in the muffin cup, you can use it to garnish the plate or to
sprinkle on top of the pie. Spoon the whipped cream into a plastic bag
and push it into one corner. Snip the tip of the corner off with
scissors, and pipe a small dollop of whipped cream onto to the pie. If
you like, garnish with a slice of banana.
bacon recipe courtesy of: Carrie, Munchie Mashups, January 13, 2012
