GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – If you’re craving a sweet treat today, how about some pie to celebrate National Banana Cream Pie Day?
This tasty dessert originated in the Women’s Exchange Cook Book of 1901, according to Tasting Table. The recipe book proposed that readers “fill a pie shell, already baked, with sliced bananas and powdered sugar.” Perhaps this sounds a little bland, and the book takes things one step further: “Very nice so, but far better to cover the top with whipped cream and serve at once.” It wasn’t until the 1950s that the modern version of the pie, filled with a rich banana custard, became the standard recipe.
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You can make your own banana cream pie with as few as five ingredients. CincyShopper recommends using a pre-made pie crust, instant banana pudding, and Cool-Whip for a quick version of the classic dessert. Other recipes are more complex—Preppy Kitchen will teach you how to make your own custard for the filling.
To avoid ending up with a brown pie, Tasting Table recommends waiting to slice your bananas until you’re ready to get baking. You can also spritz lemon, orange, or pineapple juice over the bananas to help them maintain their fresh yellow color. (Just don’t use too much, unless you want a banana pineapple pie!) The key to enjoying a homemade banana cream pie is to eat it the same day it’s made—a good reason to invite your friends to share the spoils of National Banana Cream Pie Day.
For those who don’t trust themselves with a whisk, Sophie Boudreau of Only in Your State has created “The Ultimate Pie Shop Road Trip in Michigan.” This six-hundred-mile route will take you on a culinary voyage through some of Michigan’s most beloved pie shops, starting at The Cherry Hut in Beulah and ending with Crane’s Pie Pantry in Fennville. Before you fill up your gas tank, though, remember that this is a ten-hour trip—one way—and be sure to call ahead to make sure your favorite pie is in stock.
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