Social Kitchen

This happens to me once every two years.  I don’t move away from the TV for two weeks straight, I’m constantly checking stats and scores, I know the medal count by heart, and I become uncharacteristically emotional at every award ceremony.  I love the Olympics.

What’s weird about this time, though, is not only my obsession with sports I would normally never watch (synchronized diving?  love.  beach volleyball?  can’t get enough of it.  table tennis?  do you see how fast they go?!), but also my thinking that I would totally be able to compete in the games as well.  No, seriously.

Don’t worry, it’s usually a fleeting moment…that comes quite often.  But I’ve come crashing down to reality more than once.  Let’s just say that they make it look easy.  And when that happens, I realize I can never be in the Olympics, go into the kitchen, and make pie instead.  British pie, to keep up with the Olympic theme.  But, unlike me, this could definitely win a gold medal.

Banoffee Pie

Banoffee pie is half banana, half toffee, and all delicious.  I came up with that line myself.

Crust:

1 package digestive biscuits, 400 grams, crushed into crumbs

1.5 sticks butter, melted

1 tbsp. sugar

Filling

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

2 cups packed dark brown sugar

2 tbsp. butter

3/4 tsp. flaky sea salt

1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped finely

Topping:

4 bananas, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds.

2 cups heavy whipping cream

2 tbsp. powdered sugar

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

For crust:

Line 2 muffin tins, 24 cups, with cupcake liners.  Stir together crumbs, sugar and butter, until crust comes together.  Distribute 2 tbsp. of crumb mixture into each of the liners.  Pat down evenly to form a smooth crust.  Place in freezer while you make the filling.

For filling:

Place cream, brown sugar and butter in a medium size pot.  Over medium high heat, bring all three ingredients to a boil.  Immediately turn the heat low and let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Take off the heat and stir in salt and pecans.  Let cool to room temperature.

After cooled, over each crust, evenly distribute filling – about 2 tbsp. each.  Smooth out the top for even distribution.  Place in refrigerator to set.

When ready to serve, prepare topping.

Topping:

Place 3-4 banana slices on top of the set filling.  Whip cream, sugar and cinnamon together until soft peaks form.  Gently spoon over bananas and eat immediately.  Preferably while watching the Olympics.

This entry was posted on August 2, 2012 at 9:10 am and is filed under Uncategorized.