FILLING: Combine brandy and vanilla in small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over and let stand 10 minutes. Place chocolate in medium bowl. Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk half and half and egg yolks into sugar mixture. Whisk constantly over medium-high heat until custard is thick and smooth and begins to boil, about 3 minutes. Quickly add 1¼ cups custard to chocolate. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Add brandy mixture to remaining hot custard; stir until gelatin dissolves. Spread chocolate filling evenly in crust. Spread brandy filling over. Refrigerate uncovered until pie is completely cool.
TOPPING: Heat sugar and ⅓ cup water in heavy small saucepan over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until mixture is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 11 minutes. Remove from heat and add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Add butter and stir until smooth. Stir over low heat until color deepens and caramel thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Mix in pecans. Transfer topping to small bowl. Chill until cool but not set, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
Spoon topping over brandy layer. Chill pie until topping is set, about 2 hours.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.
Originally created in England, this delicious dessert gets its name from the combination of banana (the filling is topped with sliced fresh bananas) and toffee (the filling has a toffee flavor). 8 servings
Crust
¾ cup unbleached all purpose flour
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup dry-roasted macadamia nuts
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling
2 14-ounce cans sweetened condensed milk
½ cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon dark rum
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 bananas, peeled, sliced
Topping
3 tablespoons instant coffee crystals
1 tablespoon water
2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
½ cup sugar
CRUST: Combine flour, butter, sugar, and salt in processor. Using on/off turns, blend until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add nuts; using on/off turns, process until nuts are finely chopped. Add egg yolk and vanilla; process until moist clumps form. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Freeze 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake crust until golden and cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on rack.
FILLING: Simmer sweetened condensed milk in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until very thick and color of peanut butter, stirring frequently, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in whipping cream, rum, and vanilla (mixture will be sticky and candy-like). Transfer warm filling to crust, spreading evenly. Cool completely.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover loosely and chill.
Top pie with sliced bananas, covering filling completely.
TOPPING: Stir instant coffee and 1 tablespoon water in small bowl until coffee dissolves. Combine coffee mixture, whipping cream, and sugar in large bowl; beat until peaks form. Spoon coffee whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe whipped cream rosettes decoratively atop pie, covering completely.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Chill uncovered.
Here’s a killer combination: layers of peanut butter crumble, white chocolate custard, and fresh bananas. The pie needs to chill for at least three hours, so be sure to plan accordingly. 8 servings
1 Flaky Pie Crust dough disk (see recipe on page 233)
1 cup sifted powdered sugar (sifted, then measured)
¾ cup smooth old-fashioned peanut butter
2½ teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
2 tablespoons Grape-Nuts cereal
2½ cups whole milk, divided
4 large egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup unbleached all purpose flour
¼ up cornstarch
6 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped
2 ripe bananas, peeled, sliced
1½ cups chilled heavy whipping cream, beaten to firm peaks
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Roll out dough disk on floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Fold crust edge under; crimp decoratively. Refrigerate 20 minutes.
Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake crust until sides are set, about 15 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Continue to bake until set, pressing gently with back of spoon if crust bubbles, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer crust to rack and cool completely.
Using fork, mix powdered sugar, peanut butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in medium bowl until mixture resembles coarse dry crumbs. Place cereal in small bowl. Mix ½ cup peanut butter mixture into cereal; set aside.
Whisk ¼ cup milk, egg yolks, sugar, flour, and cornstarch in another medium bowl to blend. Pour remaining 2¼ cups milk into heavy medium saucepan; bring to simmer. Gradually whisk hot milk into yolk mixture. Return mixture to saucepan. Whisk constantly over medium heat until custard boils and thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add white chocolate and remaining 1½ teaspoons vanilla; whisk until chocolate melts. Cool completely.
Sprinkle ½ cup plain (no cereal) peanut butter mixture over bottom of pie shell. Spoon half of custard filling over. Top with bananas, then remaining plain peanut butter mixture. Spoon remaining custard filling over, mounding in center. Chill pie until cold, about 3 hours.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 6 hours ahead. Keep chilled.
Top pie with whipped cream and sprinkle with peanut butter-cereal mixture.
This no-bake treat is similar in style to a banana cream pie; enjoy it in the summer, when nectarines are ripe—and when you don’t want to turn on the oven. To make sure the filling isn’t too loose, chill the finished pie at least two hours before serving. 8 servings
CrustNonstick vegetable oil spray
7 whole graham crackers (about 4 ounces)
½ cup whole almonds
4 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
¼ teaspoon salt
Filling
2⅓ cups whole milk
½ vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ cup sugar
3 large egg yolksPinch of salt