Whether or not you're familiar with banoffee pie, it's easy to be intrigued. There's little not to love about pairing together bananas, cream, and toffee. And it gets even more alluring when you pile it all on top of a buttery pastry crust. If you like bananas, this is the dessert for you. It's messy and gooey and crunchy and creamy all at once. There's sweetness from the toffee which is balanced nicely by the fruit and the rich creaminess of the dairy.
But really, why stop there? Banoffee pie is the sort of classic recipe that is rarely trifled with (see what I did there?). Such a simple template doesn't invite much creativity: People love their banoffee pie as is!
Being myself of course, I've been on a kick to discover all the ways I can plausibly enjoy banoffee pie. I'm dreaming of banoffee pie ice cream, banoffee pie scones, and perhaps a banoffee pie bread pudding of sorts. And today I'm bringing you my first offering for the I Love Banoffee Pie Fan Club (t-shirts forthcoming, applications being accepted): banoffee (millionaire's shortbread) bars.
Millionaire's shortbread itself is a very traditional sweet, too. Made by layering a thick shortbread base with creamy caramel and a shiny chocolate top, it's very sugary and very rich. But when you introduce it to banoffee pie on a blind date (in the kitchen), things go to new heights of delicious.
Start with the buttery shortbread base, which is a similar component of each recipe. Then make a quick and easy stovetop caramel with sweetened condensed milk and brown sugar. Pour that over a layer of fresh sliced bananas, then top it all off with a layer of dark chocolate. I finish these bars with a hefty sprinkling of flaky sea salt, which really goes a long way in keeping them from tasting too sweet.
Try them this weekend and enjoy all the glorious crumbs and messy fingers that result. And if you're also dreaming up banoffee pie dishes, tell me your inspired thoughts and we'll make them happen together!
| 3/4 | cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature |
| 1/4 | cup granulated sugar |
| 1 1/2 | cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour |
| 1/4 | teaspoon salt |
| 3/4 | cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature |
| 1/4 | cup granulated sugar |
| 1 1/2 | cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour |
| 1/4 | teaspoon salt |
| 10 | tablespoons (140 grams) unsalted butter |
| 14 | ounces (397 grams) sweetened condensed milk |
| 3/4 | cup (160 grams) packed brown sugar |
| 2 | bananas, sliced |
| 3/4 | cup (127 grams) dark chocolate |
| 1 | tablespoon flaky sea salt |
| 10 | tablespoons (140 grams) unsalted butter |
| 14 | ounces (397 grams) sweetened condensed milk |
| 3/4 | cup (160 grams) packed brown sugar |
| 2 | bananas, sliced |
| 3/4 | cup (127 grams) dark chocolate |
| 1 | tablespoon flaky sea salt |
Seriously, banana/banoffee fan club: share your ideas in the comments, below.
Written by: Posie (Harwood) Brien
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7 Comments
Better to have added a recipe for dulce de leche instead, be it homemade or the simmering of sweetened milk tin.
Also, anyone worth their salt when it comes to baking with chocolate would surely have an idea ( especially Food 52 ) if a spoonful or so of butter or other fat is not added to melted chocolate used for topping, and if the chocolate is not lightly scored before being left to firm up, the chocolate will crack ( as depicted in photo ) as soon as a knife comes near it.
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