Chocolate Banana Custard Pie

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In this recipe for Chocolate Banana Custard Pie, a layer of banana slices is topped with chocolate custard, more bananas and whipped cream.

August 27th is National Banana Lover’s Day! You should celebrate making anything and everything with bananas, like banana bread, chocolate banana custard pie, or just eat some bananas! Share the banana love on social media today using the hashtags #NationalBananaDay, #BananaDay and #RecipesForHolidays.

Be sure to follow my August Food Holidays page so you never miss a food holiday in the month of August!

“Goals are like bananas. They come in bunches.”

-Brendan Morrison

The History of Bananas:

Scientists believe that bananas originated about 10,000 years ago. They may have been the world’s first fruit (though some say that figs were the first fruit!) The first bananas were likely grown in Indonesia, Philippines and New Guinea. Traders and explorers then brought them to other countries.

We can credit Alexander the Great (King of Macedonia) with discovering bananas in India somewhere in late 300BC. He introduced them to the Western World.

The first bananas contained large seeds. Africa started cross-breeding different types of bananas in 650AD to create more like what we know a banana to be like today.

In the 15th century, Portuguese sailors discovered bananas in West Africa, and proceeded to plant banana plantations in the Canary Islands.

Between the 16th and 19th centuries, banana plantations were established in Latin America and the Caribbean.

After the Civil War (1865), bananas began to become popular in America. As with many foods, bananas were displayed at the 1876 World’s Fair, enhancing their popularity.

Today, United Fruit is the company who sells bananas in America, and around the world, under the brand name, Chiquita. They are currently the best selling fruit. Chiquita sells customers the banana variety called the Cavendish (a variety that is more resistant to disease and is a good, fresh looking banana).

Ingredients needed:

• refrigerated pie crust
• all purpose flour
• unsweetened cocoa powder
• kosher salt
• white sugar
• egg yolks
• half and half
• semisweet chocolate chips
• vanilla extract
• bananas
• heavy whipping cream
• chocolate shavings

How to make Chocolate Banana Custard Pie:

The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.

The first step is preparing the pie crust. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Fit the pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate; fold the edges under, and crimp. Prick the bottom and sides of the crust with a fork. Line the pie crust with aluminum foil or parchment paper, and fill to the rim with pie weights or dried beans. Place the prepared pie crust on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the weights and foil; bake until the crust is golden brown, 12 to 14 more minutes. Remove from the baking sheet, and cool on a wire rack while preparing the filling. 

Whisk together the flour, cocoa, salt, and ¾ cup of the granulated sugar in a medium-size heavy saucepan; set aside. Whisk together the egg yolks and half-and-half in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk the egg mixture into the sugar mixture until well combined. Cook over medium-low, whisking constantly, until it just begins to bubble and is thick enough to hold soft peaks when the whisk is lifted, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the saucepan from heat; whisk in the chocolate chips and 2 teaspoons of the vanilla. Whisk constantly until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. 

Peel and cut half of the bananas into ½-inch-thick slices on a sharp diagonal. Place the bananas in the bottom of the prepared crust, covering the bottom of the crust. Pour the chocolate mixture over the bananas, and smooth with a spoon or offset spatula. Place the plastic wrap directly on the warm filling, and chill until set, at least 8 hours or up to overnight. 

Beat the heavy whipping cream and remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until foamy, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Gradually add the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar; continue beating until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 more minutes. Just before serving, peel and cut the remaining bananas into ½-inch-thick slices on a sharp diagonal. Arrange the banana slices on the chilled pie; top with whipped cream. Garnish with chocolate shavings or curls.

The more chilled your pie is, the cleaner your cuts will be on slicing.

This is one delicious chocolate banana custard pie with lots of fabulous layers. Enjoy!

This recipe comes from the book: Southern Living 2021 Annual Recipes (an entire year of recipes). We love Southern Living recipes!

Fun Facts About Bananas:

• It’s believed that Arabian slave traders are the ones who gave the banana its name. Originally bananas were finger-sized. “Banan” is Arabic for “finger.”
• Bananas grow in hot, tropical climates.
• A banana is a berry not a fruit.
• Bananas contain a very small amount of radioactive material! Don’t worry though… you would have to eat 10,000 bananas at once to die of radiation poisoning.
• Europeans have French writer Jules Verne to thank for introducing them to bananas. He wrote extensively about bananas in his book, Around the World in Eighty Days.
• Bananas can fight depression, cure headaches and aid in weight loss.
• Banana skin is used to treat insect bites.
• The banana split was invented in 1904 by 23-year old American pharmacist David Evan Strickler in Pennsylvania.