This post has a health warning… not for the faint-hearted!
I have been making this “pie” for years now, but very infrequently because it is just soooo decadent! Recently my friends asked begged me to make it again for them and I agreed. You just have to spoil yourself and your guests occasionally now, don’t you? 😉 Then sadly they had to cancel that day, and I had already made this pie… well, we managed to eat half of it between us over a couple of days, but it’s definitely the kind of dessert for a crowd!
The original recipe for Banoffee Pie has a pastry base and the content varies slightly. This one is actually a Banoffee Cheesecake, the recipe coming from an ancient “Vegetarian” magazine in the 90s. Now if you’re still wondering what banoffee is, you haven’t lived! It’s a crossover dessert of caramel, bananas, cream and often chocolate…. Now I’ve got your full attention, here’s the recipe…. no low-fat stuff here – if you’re going to make it, then you have to go the whole hog. Forget the calories and go for the real full-fat cream cheese and the thickest cream you can find!
Banoffee Cheesecake
- 225g (8 oz) can sweetened condensed milk or Nestle Carnation Caramel
- 200g (7 oz) (Philadelphia) full-fat soft cream cheese
- 300ml (1 1/4 cups) double cream, whipped
- 3 bananas
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 275g (9 1/2 oz) milk chocolate digestive biscuits, crushed (I think “graham crackers” are the same…)
- 85g (3/4 stick) butter
Method:
- If, like me, you can’t always get hold of the caramel, place the unopened can of sweetened condensed milk in a large pan of simmering water and cook over a medium heat for two hours. Keep the water on a steady rolling boil, and top up with extra water as necessary. DANGER! DON’T LET IT BOIL DRY! Carefully remove the tin…. HOT! and allow to cool completely. I always do this the night before I assemble the pie.
- For the biscuit base, grease the base of a 23cm (9inch) flan dish. Grind the chocolate biscuits to fine crumbs – if you don’t have a magic tool like mine you can crush then in a freezer bag. (Tip: cool the biscuits first). Melt the butter in a large pan, then stir in the crushed biscuits until well combined. Press the mixture into the base of the prepared dish and chill for at least 1 hour.
- For the topping, beat the cream cheese with the caramelized condensed milk/Carnation caramel – using a fork – until smooth. Mash the bananas with the lemon juice and fold carefully into the cream cheese mixture, and finally fold in the whipped cream. Pour over the biscuit base and chill for at least 4 hours or even overnight until set.
- If you like, another banana can be sliced and sprinkled with a little lemon juice, and put on top just before serving. Chocolate shavings also look nice as a finishing touch. (It’s a bit tricky getting the first slice out 😉 , but having tried all sorts of tins and dishes in the past, both with or without greaseproof paper, this is the best so far.)
Serves about a hundred! (Okay, 8 to 10)
Savour each and every deliciously naughty, creamy mouthful! 😀
Yes, graham crackers are similar in flavor but not as rich. Such a lovely pie! Will save the recipe. Can’t believe I never ate one piece when I was in England. 😛
You MUST try it one day! 😉
Divine! Absolutely divine! Strangely enough, the kids were watching a cookery programme this evening which featured banoffee pie. I cheat when I make it and use Dulce de Leche 😉 I think we will be making one of these this weekend – between you and The HairyBikers’ cookery programme, I am getting the banoffee hint!
I hope you have a delicious weekend then! (Isn’t Dulce de Leche practically the same thing? Have never seen it ready made here, but that’s traditionalist Bavaria for you!) 😀
It is! It comes readymade in a jar and keeps for ages. A top store cupboard ingredient if you can get your hands on some.
I’ll have to hunt some out, or get my Mum to send me a jar! 😉
That is decadent…but oh it looks and sounds so good
Definitely one for special occasions only! 😉
I used to make desserts with sweetened condensed milk but have never tried caramelizing it. Looks so tasty.
The caramel goes beautifully with banana…. rich and smooth. 😀
Yum, looks divine :p
Certainly is! 😉
Did you know Banofee pie was first created in a pub/restaurant in Sussex? Sounds odd doesn’t it! Delicious
I bet there have been a lot of good inventions made in pubs! 😉
Das Rezept werde ich mit meinem Neffen (13 J.) zusammen ausprobieren. Alles was in einer Pfanne auf dem Herd zurbereitet werden kann, begeistert ihn – hier das Karamell.
Sind chocolate digestive biscuits – Schokoladenkekse? Double cream ist Schlagsahne?
Ich freue mich schon auf die Zubereitung. 🙂
Liebe Grüsse – Uta
Double cream ist Schlagsahne – ich verwende Bio, da es meistens dicker ist. (In England ist double cream sehr sehr dick!) Du kannst irgendwelche Kekse nehmen, aber mit Hafer sind sie knuspriger – “Hobnobs” zum Beispiel. Please take care with the caramel when your nephew helps – very hot! Viel Spaß! 😀
Danke für die Hinweise! Er ist schon Experte in Schnee und Wachs schmelzen auf meinem Herd ;).
I think I put on a kilo just reading that recipe lol. I may make it someday…after my wedding…lol
LOL! Yes, there are a lot of calories in it, but a small piece satisfies that desire for sugar, cream, and caramel! 😉
Now THAT’S a dessert! Next time we have a family gathering, we’ll try it…I should start making phone calls now 😉
A great excuse to ask people over! 😉
All I can say is…WOW! 🙂
It’s that kind of dessert! 😉
You had me at “full fat”, Cathy. This may be the promised recipe for my baking niece with the busted oven. Many thanks. Rob
Good idea, or for hot weather when no one feels like baking! 😉
Looks delicious and indulgent… but there are bananas in there, so not entirely unhealthy!
I hadn’t thought of that! 😀 One of my 5 a day!
Reblogged this on Living and Lovin and commented:
yum
Thanks Eunice. 😀 😀
yum!
😉
A sweet temptation, Cathy! Your Banoffee Cheesecake looks very delicious.
Thank you Elisabeth! 😀
I’m not sure the 8-10 servings would be accurate around my crowd! LOL! But I’m glad you included the health warning. 🙂 This is right up there among the great tastes. Everyone in my family would find this a must. My dad has recently been told he needs to put on a little weight…if I could manage to part with all but a tiny sliver, maybe I’ll make this soon! For medicinal purposes only, of course! Ha!
Of course – bananas are good for you! 😉 Hope you try it!
I want a piece! Thanks for the recipe!
Hope you can try it soon! 😉
It has all the ingredients you need: Bananas, caramel, biscuits, double cream. Delicious!!!! I want some right now!
Somehow I thought you might like this one! 😉 (I’ll order you some of that caramel next time I buy online from the English Shop!)
Good idea! I might do that too.
uhmm serves one, me haha, drooling here lol
LOL! Hope you can try it, as it is REALLY good! 😉