Frozen Peanut Butter and Banana Pie with a Caramel Swirl

If you read my last post you’ll remember that I’ve been assigned the role of desserts and salads provider for the barbecue season.  So this is my latest offering, a frozen peanut butter and banana (because let’s face it, if Elvis thought they were a marriage made in heaven, who am I to argue) pie with a caramel swirl.  Its a recipe I’ve stolen unashamedly from those wonderful people at BBC Good Food and tweaked slightly to make it mine.  It’s sweet, slightly salty and silky smooth and the best part is that it can be prepared in advance and it’s ridiculously easy to make, so no missing out on that beautiful sunshine.  Oh and there is no baking, so no standing around in a hot kitchen.   I’ve used a 12cm spring form tin to make an individual pie for these picture, and the recipe will make four of these or one large pie in a 24 cm tin.

For the pie take:

• 3 bananas (one for decoration)
• 300gm your favourite digestive type biscuit (graham crackers, hobnobs ect)
• 100 gm butter
• 150 mls double cream
• 140g icing sugar
• 400gm soft cheese (cream cheese)
• 250gm smooth peanut butter
• 1tsp vanilla paste
• 200 gms tinned caramel or Dulce de lech
• roasted peanuts to decorate

For the toffee sauce take:

• 40 gms butter
• 50 gms sugar
• 150 mls double cream

First blitz the biscuits in a food processor (or pop them in a zip-lock bag grab, a rolling pin and get rid of some pent up aggression, you know, whatever floats your boat)

Melt the butter and add the crumbs to the pan and mix well.

Add the butter-biscuit mix to the tin(s) and press down firmly.  Then place the tin(s) in the fridge while you make the filling.  I’m going to apologise in advance, you’re about to witness a lot of brown, white, off-white and beige mixes sitting in bowls.  I wish there was a way around it, but . . . well . . . there isn’t.

In a clean bowl, whip the cream until it can hold its own shape and set aside.

In a separate bowl mix the soft cheese, the icing sugar and the vanilla bean paste and then set aside.

In a completely different bowl, mash two of the bananas until completely smooth.

In a fourth bowl (I’d like to apologise to who ever washes your dishes, if it isn’t you please apologise to them on my behalf, if it is you, I’m so very sorry) use a fork to soften the peanut butter by whisking it.

Add the cream cheese mix to the peanut butter and beat well to combine.  Then mix in the mashed bananas and finally, fold in the whipped cream.

Take the spring form tin(s) out of the fridge and top the biscuit crust with the filling then swirl in the caramel.  The two consistencies are very similar, so be careful not to over mix.  Pop the pie in the  freezer for at least 3 hours or overnight.  (This will keep in the freezer for about a month)

Before you serve take it out of the freezer and leave at room temperature for about 20-30 mins and get cracking with the toffee sauce.

Place the sugar, butter and cream in a pot and bring to a boil.

Allow to cool and then top your pie with sliced bananas, chopped roasted peanuts and toffee sauce.  Enjoy!