Chocolate and Ginger Banoffee Pie

I saw this recipe in this month's free magazine from my local co-op, it sounds absolutely yummy. I love banoffee pie. Unfortunately as I am trying to avoid too much sugar it will have to be a very rare treat for me but my kids will love it.




serves 8
preparation time:
15 minutes, plus chilling time

ingredients

200g digestive biscuits, crushed
110g Country Life butter, melted
405g can light condensed milk
150g Truly Irresistible ginger conserve
3 Fairtrade bananas, sliced
300ml The Co-operative double cream
40g The Co-operative Fairtrade dark chocolate, melted

method

Combine the biscuits and melted butter and press into the base and up the sides of a 23cm loose-bottomed tin - we used a fluted one. Chill until required. Place the condensed milk and ginger conserve in a small pan and bring gently to the boil, stirring continuously, until the colour has become light caramel and the mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat and spread over the biscuit base. Chill for an hour or until cold. To serve, carefully remove the tin and base and transfer to a serving plate. Arrange the bananas on top of the caramel. Whip the cream until thick and spoon over the bananas. Drizzle over the chocolate and chill until required. 

nutritional values (approx. per serving)

calories  550,  fat  39.5g,  sat fat  23.2g,  sugars  28.1g,  salt  0.7g

banoffee pie

Banoffee pie

This popular dessert is made with the perfect pair - banana and toffee and couldn't be simpler to put together. Use condensed milk in the banoffee pie for a quick caramel

• Prep time: 10 mins

• Cooking time: 30 mins

(plus 2 hrs chilling time)

• Total time: 40 mins

• Serves: 8

• Skill level: Easy peasy

• Costs: Cheap as chips

• Child friendly

• Make in advance

Ingredients

For a simple way to make the caramel, put an unopened can of condensed milk into boiling water and poach for 2 hrs. After cooling, the condensed milk will have caramelised and can then be poured over the biscuit base, so no need for the butter and caster sugar.

For the banoffee pie base:

• 100g (4oz) butter

• 250g (9oz) digestive biscuits, crushed

For the caramel:

• 175g (6oz) butter

• 75g (3oz) caster sugar

• 397g can Carnation Condensed Milk

For the topping:

• 4 small bananas

• 284ml carton double cream, lightly whipped

• Cocoa powder, for dusting

You will also need:

• 20cm (8in) loose-bottomed cake tin, greased with the based lined

• Piping bag


Method

1. Use a food blender to crush the biscuits into fine crumbs.

2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan and stir in the crushed biscuits until the two bind together. Press the mixture into the base and sides of a 20cm (8in) loose-bottomed cake tin. Chill for 30 mins.

3. For the caramel, melt the butter and sugar over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is golden in colour. Add the condensed milk, stirring continuously and bringing to the boil. Keep the caramel boiling steadily for 2 mins, whilst stirring to make a thick golden caramel. Take the caramel off of the heat and cool.

4. Slice the bananas and arrange most of them over the biscuit base then spread the caramel over the top. Chill for 1 hr 30 mins, or until firm.

5. When ready to serve, remove the pie from the tin and place on a serving plate. Fill a piping bag with the whipped cream and squeeze onto the banoffee pie, decorating as desired with the remaining bananas and a light dusting of cocoa powder.