This banana truffle pie is a perfect year-round dessert that can be whipped up in a breeze. The truffle filling is sweet, creamy, and a bit tangy.Yield: 9-inch pie
1cupsemisweet chocolate chips(170 g), or chopped chocolate of choice
1Tablesoonunsalted butter
8ozpackage cream cheesecubed and softened
2Tablespoonsorange liqueur, or orange juice
¼cuppowdered sugar
3ripe banana,sliced
2Tablespoonsgranulated sugar,for topping
whipped cream, optional for topping
Instructions
Pie Dough:
Preheat oven to 450℉.
Whisk together flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add in vegetable shortening. Use a pastry cutter (or two forks) to cut shortening into flour mixture until mixture is crumbly and like pebbled rocks in texture.
Add ice water one tablespoon at a time as you fold the ingredients together. Form dough into a ball.
Working on lightly floured surface, flatten dough using a small rolling pin. Roll to a circle about 12-inches in diameter.
Transfer round dough onto a 9-inch pie plate. Firmly press dough into the bottom and sides of pie plate. Trim excess dough overhand, leaving about 1/2-inch all around. Crimp the edges as desired.
Dock the bottom of with a fork. Line bottom and sides of pie with foil. Add baking beans or baking weights. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 6-8 minutes until pie dough is golden. Cool on wire rack as you prepare pie filling.
Banana Truffle Assembly:
Place chocolate and butter in a medium heavy bottomed sauce pot. Heat over low heat* until smooth and melted. Add cream cheese and liqueur. Continue to heat until well combined.
Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar. Spread mixture into the bottom of baked pie dough.
Arrange two layers of sliced bananas over chocolate mixture. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
Remove pie from refrigerator 30-45 minutes before serving. Sprinkle granulated sugar over banana. Using a kitchen torch, use a circular sweeping motion to melt and caramelize the sugar. Continue to heat the sugar until a nice golden crust has formed over bananas. Let sugar cool slightly (about 3 minutes) before serving.
If desired, serve a dollop of whipped cream alongside sliced pie.
Notes
Note: Be sure to melt the chocolate and cream cheese over LOW heat. For the best results, melt over a bain-marie for even and gentle melting.