350. Ginger coconut banoffee pies

December 22, 2013mayurisjikoni

tantalize your palate

Our Sweet Fantasy Club’s (SFC#3) international dessert challenge was a banoffee pie. SFC is a club started by Preeti of Simply Tadka. My husband claims that if I face these challenges every month with not just one but 2 sweet dishes, his diabetes is surely going to increase. On a more serious note, several times I have tried making desserts with sweeteners but the end result is not the same. The sugar has a tendency to leave a bitter taste. I try and make smaller portions for hubby dear and he then works it off by daily exercise routines.
I have tasted banoffee pie several times and had been sitting on the recipe for eons. SFC finally made me dig out the recipe and I made this yummy delicious, sinful dessert with a bit of twist. I got the original recipe from the carnation caramel tin label but I made quite a few changes. I added coconut, ginger powder and used ginger nuts instead of digestive biscuits.I didn’t realise that this is a pretty easy dessert to make.
I didn’t have to make the caramel or leche de dulce (milk candy). Sweetened milk is heated over slow flame for a long period of time till it turns thick, brown and caramelised. I was lucky as my sister in law had given me a can of the ready caramel. Its not available here in Kenya. However, usually I prepare the caramel at home. Home made caramel or leche de dulce is made by boiling an unopened sweetened condensed milk for 2 to 3 hours in boiling water or by putting it in a pressure cooker with a bit of water and cooked for nearly 45 minutes. The tin is then allowed to cool before opening it.
I hope you enjoy preparing and eating the dessert as much as I have. I decided to make individual portions instead of one big pie. You can also set it in individual serving bowls, glasses or ramekins.

GINGER COCONUT BANOFFEE PIES
Makes about 6 to 8

For the base:
200 g ginger biscuits/ginger nuts
½ cup unsweetened desiccated coconut
6 to 8 tbsp butter
1 tsp ginger powder

For the filling:
1(397g) tin sweetened condensed milk or ready caramel
2-3 medium bananas
1 tbsp lemon juice

For topping:
¾ cup fresh whipping cream
3 to 4 tbsp chocolate shaving

Preparation of the base:

Crush the biscuits into crumbs in a food processor. Or you may put them in a zip lock bag and crush it with a rolling pin. Mix in the coconut and ginger powder.
Melt the butter.
Add the melted butter to the biscuit crumb mixture and mix well.
Divide the mixture equally into 8 individual bowls or small pie tins.
If you are using pie tins, then press in into the tin using a spoon.
Put it in the fridge to set for 15 to 30 minutes.

Preparation of the filling:

If you do not have a ready made caramel tin then make it like this.To caramelise the condensed milk, put some water in a deep pan and put the whole tin without opening it in it. Cover the pan and let the water boil gently over medium heat for 1½ to 2 hours. In between check if there is enough water. If not pour some more hot water. Let the tin cool and then open it. The milk will have turned dark brown. Mix it well. The other option is to put the tin in a pressure cooker with some water, and let it cook for nearly 5 to 6 whistles over medium heat. Let the tin cool don before you open it. Mix it well before using it.
Slice the bananas and add the lemon juice. Mix gently. This will prevent the discoloration of the banana slices.
Divide the caramel between the individual portions.
Top it with the banana slices.
Put in the fridge till required.

Preparation of the topping:

Just before serving,whip the cream with a hand blender or whisk till it is of soft peak consistency. Soft peak consistency is when you lift the whisk or blender from the cream, soft peaks are formed.
Top the caramel with the whipped cream.
Decorate with chocolate shavings. Grate it with a grater or a peeler.

Tips:

Prepare the caramel a day ahead.
To prepare the base, first add 6 tbsp of butter, melted. If the biscuit crumb mixture is still dry then add more. The amount of butter required depends on the type of biscuits used.
Instead of pie tins, use a dessert ring to set the base or serve in a tall glass by putting the crumb mixture at the bottom and then adding the filling and topping with cream.
I used 3 bananas as I wanted more fruit than the caramel and cream.

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