Individual Banoffee Pies

Sundays are becoming the most enjoyable day of the week for me. I need Saturday to go out with friends and recover from a week of work, but Sunday is usually my free day. I can do whatever I want and I love it. I can do chores that I was too tired to do during the week, go grocery (or clothes) shopping, have a late breakfast at a nearby cafe, or chill out with A & my pet cockatiel. Sundays are even better when they are followed by a public holiday on Monday!

This particular Sunday I had my family over for a house warming dinner. They just needed an excuse to officially hand over some housewarming presents; a hand-me-down crystal cake stand from my Mum and a much needed set of Furi knives from my brother. In return I cooked some simple stuff - spaghetti bolognese and chicken casserole with dinner rolls - all stuff I could make way ahead of time. As usual, my focus was on making something special for dessert.

Banoffee pies are one of my most favourite desserts. Ever since I first tasted the amazing banoffee pie at Cafe Sopra, I've spent far too much time thinking about them and making them. While my pie doesn't quite match up to the one at Cafe Sopra, they are more than good enough to satisfy my banoffee cravings.

I like to serve them as individual portions in little ramekins because its easier to assemble, less messy to eat and cute! I found it really difficult to neatly serve out the pie when I did a huge one in a springform tin. And I had a lot of trouble convincing people to have a try it because it looked so huge and naughty!

Banoffee Pie
200g Digestive biscuits (I used the light ones)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
40g butter, softened
1 can of condensed milk
2 large ripe bananas
1 small carton of fresh cream
Good quality dark chocolate

Remove any paper labels from the condensed milk can. Place in a small saucepan and fill the saucepan with water until it is higher than halfway up the side of the can. Cover saucepan and boil for 2 hours, but always keep an eye on it and top up the water regularly. If you keep it covered and never let the water level drop too low then your can will not explode.

While you are boiling the can, grease 8 small ramekins or a 20cm springform tin. Place digestive biscuits in a ziploc bag and crush well to form fine crumbs. Place crumbs in a bowl, stir in cinnamon. Gradually add butter, combining with your fingers until the crumbs start to hold together. Divide mixture equally between the ramekins or place in the bottom of the springform tin and press down well with the back of a spoon. Place ramekins or tin in the fridge for an hour to allow the base to harden.

After boiling the condensed milk for two hours, run the can it under cool water for 5 minutes. Tada! You have dulce de leche. Scoop it out of the can into a mixing bowl (don't forget to lick the spoon clean hehehe) and beat with an electic mixer on low for half a minute. I find that this lightens the caramel a bit and removes any dense lumps you can get if you just spoon the dulce de leche straight from the can to the pie.

Pour equal amounts of the dulce de leche into the ramekins. If you are not serving the pies straight away, cover these with glad wrap and store in the fridge until right before you are going to serve them. When you are ready to serve, thinly slice the bananas and arrange a single layer of banana over the dulce de leche.

Whip up the fresh cream, spoon or pipe on top of the banana. Grate a small amount of dark chocolate over the cream. EAT.

They really aren't as sweet as you would think they would be, and the little ramekins are the perfect serving size for a dinner party (if you can restrict yourself to just one!). So easy but ultra impressive!