This sinfully sweet pie starts with a coconut graham cracker crust and gets filled with layers of decadent chocolate fudge, coconut-banana custard, and homemade sweetened whipped cream.
Prep Time45 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Chill Time5 hourshrs30 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16
Ingredients
Coconut Graham Cracker Crust
1 1/2cupsgraham crackerfinely ground
1/3cupgranulated sugar
6tablespoonssalted buttersoftened
1/4cupshredded coconut
Chocolate Fudge
2/3cupheavy cream
2tablespoonslight corn syrup
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
1 1/2cupssemi-sweet chocolate chips
Coconut-Banana Custard
2tablespoonscornstarch
6egg yolks
214-ounce canssweetened condensed milk
1/2teaspooncoconut extract
1teaspoonvanilla extract
2tablespoonssalted butter
4bananas
1teaspoonlemon juice
1cup shredded coconut
Sweetened Whipped Cream
1cupheavy cream
3tablespoonspowdered sugar
1/2teaspoonvanilla extract
Garnishes
additional banana slices
toasted coconut
chocolate shavings
chocolate hearts
Instructions
Coconut Graham Cracker Crust
Using a food processor, blend together graham crackers, sugar and shredded coconut until it resembles fine crumbs. Add in softened butter and pulse until a moist but crumbly dough forms.Next, add mixture into a 9-inch springform pan. Using your hands and wax paper, press the crumbs in an even layer up the sides and bottom of the springform pan. You want the crust to rise about 2 to 2.5 inches up the sides of the pan. Refrigerate crust at least 1 hour before filling.
Chocolate Fudge
When the crust is almost done chilling, begin to make the fillings. Add chocolate chips to a medium glass bowl and set aside. Then, in a small saucepan, warm heavy cream, corn syrup, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla over medium heat until steaming and just starting to simmer. Pour cream mixture over chocolate chips and stir until melted and smooth—about 3 minutes. Next, spread chocolate fudge in an even layer over the chilled crust. Freeze at least 30 minutes.
Coconut-Banana Custard
While chocolate fudge layer sets, separate eggs and place egg yolks in a small bowl, beat until smooth and then set aside. You won't be needing the egg whites, so go ahead and store those in a container for use in a different recipe.Next, in a medium saucepan, add cornstarch and condensed milk whisk together to combine until no lumps remain. Then place the saucepan over medium heat, stirring continuously, until mixture begins to thicken and bubble. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 minutes.Now, temper the eggs. This step is critical to ensure you don’t end up with scrambled eggs in your pie! Add a little bit (a few tablespoons) of the hot milk mixture to the egg yolks and whisk to combine. Once the eggs have been tempered, transfer the egg mixture to milk/cornstarch mixture and stir to combine.Place pan back on the heat and bring to a light boil. Boil for 2 1/2 minutes, stirring continuously, until thickened. Remove from heat and pour custard into a food processor.Add two of the bananas, lemon juice, butter, coconut extract and vanilla to hot custard. Blend until smooth and then, using a rubber spatula, gently fold the shredded coconut into the custard.Next, gently pour the custard over prepared crust and chocolate fudge layer—which should have firmed up in the freezer. Smooth custard with a spatula or knife and then take plastic wrap and gently lay it directly onto the custard (so it is touching the custard's surface). This plastic wrap will help prevent a film from forming on the surface of the custard while it sets. Return pie to the refrigerator and chill until firm—at least 4 hours (or overnight).
Sweetened Whipped Cream
In a stand mixer, add heavy cream to a mixing bowl and whip until soft peaks form. Then beat in powdered sugar and vanilla and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Prior to spreading whipped cream, slice the remaining two bananas and arrange on top of the set custard. Then, spread a medium layer whipped cream over the top of the pie. Reserve a little of the whipped cream for piping rosettes.
Garnish
With remaining whipped cream, spoon into a piping bag and decorate pie with remaining whipped cream as desired.Using a heart-shaped fondant punch or extra small cookie cutter, cut out heart-shaped banana pieces from a slice of a ripe banana.Gently toss banana hearts in a little lemon juice to slow them from browning. They should stay fresh looking for a few hours but won’t last overnight so hold off on adding fresh banana hearts (or regular slices) until just before serving for best results.Arrange banana hearts on pie and sprinkle with additional toppings like toasted coconut, chocolate shavings or chocolate hearts.Serve immediately and enjoy. Keep refrigerated.