This dessert has held a special place in my heart since my grandmother used to make it for family dinners. It’s not overly sweet, even with the layer of delicious caramel. I’ve found that even those who typically skip dessert ask for seconds with this one. It’s more like a beautiful symphony of flavours rather than something overly rich and sugary.

In South Africa, we have the luxury of canned caramel, which eliminates the need for the four-hour boiling process of condensed milk. However, outside South Africa, making your own caramel is the way to go. One trick I use is preparing the caramel the day before and placing the unopened can in the fridge overnight, ready for dessert-making the following day. Just take the can out of the fridge to get to room temperature before you start making your pie.

Finding Cadbury Flake Bars outside of South Africa and Europe can sometimes be a challenge. If you’re in Canada or the USA, Walmart typically stocks them, while other grocery stores may not. As a substitution, you can grate milk chocolate and sprinkle it over the dessert. Another delightful option for the topping is finely crushed walnuts, which balances the flavours and adds an extra crunch to every bite. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also mix 50% chocolate and 50% crushed walnuts for a sweet and savoury topping with various textures.

When you’re done forming the cookie crust in the pie dish, sprinkle a touch of cinnamon over the top, but go easy on it. I’ve found that it enhances the flavour profile of every bite. However, when mixed into the cookie and butter mixture, cinnamon can be a bit overpowering and detract from the dessert’s nuanced flavours.

Assembling the layers of this delicious dessert is quite straightforward. The key thing to remember is to allow enough time for it to set in the fridge. Otherwise, when you serve it, it will have a more pudding-like consistency, requiring a bowl and spoon. If you wait overnight, you can serve it on a plate with a dessert fork.

I hope you and your family enjoy this recipe as much as mine does. Don’t forget to tag @roxiecappell so I can see all your delicious creations.

Banana Caramel Cream Pie

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1 1/2 – 2 bananas
• ▢ 1 can of condensed milk
• ▢ 262 g Arrowroot cookies 1 ½ cookie sleeves
• ▢ ½ cup Butter
• ▢ 1 tbsp Lemon juice
• ▢ 1 1/3 cup Whipping cream
• ▢ 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
• ▢ 30 g Flake chocolate bar

Instructions:

• Place an unopened can of condensed milk in a large pot and fill the pot with water until the can is completely submerged. Bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and let it simmer for 4 hours. Be sure to check and add water to the pot every 30 minutes to an hour to keep the can covered.
• Once done, carefully remove the can from the pot and allow it to cool. Set it aside.
• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Crush the arrowroot cookies using a food processor or by placing them in a sealed plastic bag and using a rolling pin to crush them.
• Transfer the crushed arrowroot cookies to a mixing bowl and pour in the melted butter. Mix until all the cookie crumbs are coated with butter and the texture changes slightly.
• Press the cookie mixture into a pie dish with raised sides.
• Sprinkle cinnamon evenly over the crust and place it in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
• In a separate bowl, combine the whipping cream and vanilla extract until it reaches the desired consistency. It should hold its shape when the bowl is tilted. Place it in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the pie.
• Slice the bananas into even 1/2-inch thick slices.
• Allow the pie crust to cool completely after removing it from the oven.
• Once the caramel from the can has cooled, transfer it to a separate bowl and stir in the lemon juice. This will slightly thin the caramel.
• Spread the caramel evenly on top of the cooled pie crust.
• Add a layer of banana slices evenly over the caramel.
• Next, add the whipped cream as another layer.
• Finally, sprinkle the chopped up chocolate flake bar on top of the pie.
• Place the pie in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours before serving. For best results, leave it in the fridge overnight.