Nutella Banoffee Cream Pie

When it comes to Nutella-inspired dessert, restraint is the last thing on my mind. My contribution to last year’s Nutella Day was fun and whimsical in the form of icebox cake and buckeyes. This year, I want a rich and totally over-the-top cream pie. I took inspiration from the ever popular Nutella and banana crepe. Add in a bit of British influence from banoffee pie, my Nutella Banoffee Cream Pie is born.

Thanks to Ms Adventures in Italy, Bleeding Espresso for hosting another edition of World Nutella Day, I have an excuse to feed my Nutella obsession. This Nutella Banoffee Cream Pie starts with a buttery pie crust with a hint of crunchy graham cracker crumbs. It is filled with a thick layer of Nutella and a smooth layer of caramel banana cream cheese filling. It is crowned with billowy Chantilly cream and studded with banana slices and hazelnuts. The sweetness of Nutella is offset by the mildly tangy cream cheese. At the same time, the complex caramel undertone highlights a taste more sophisticated than plain sugary sweetness. I especially love the change in texture from crunchy to sticky to creamy to airy. This dessert is not for the faint of heart.

The drawback of creating a dessert with so many different taste and textural contrast is that there’s lots of individual components to prepare. I miss the simplicity of my recipes from last year. But at the same time, the final result is a show-stopping dessert. You have to agree that there is a time and place for show-stoppers, right?

As silly as it sounds, I found it awfully satisfying to scoop out large spoonfuls of Nutella from the family-size jar that I bought from Costco, in package of two. Nutella is such a decadent treat that my normal choice of utensil is a tiny espresso spoon for the smallest taste. When I was making this pie, I almost feel guilty for every sticky dollop that I transferred from jar to pie crust. Obviously I have lots of Nutella leftover from this little project. I think I’ll have to check out everyone’s creation so I can put those leftover to good use.

For more Nutella treats at Dessert By Candy, check out:

• Nutella Pudding Icebox Cake
• Nutella Scones
• Nutella Buckeyes
• Scotcheroo
• Nutella Tartlets
• Homemade Nutella
• Chewy Sugar Cookie Sandwiches with Black Forest Filling
• Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake
• Nutella Tartine
• Nutella Kuchen with Seville Orange Marmalade
• Kinako Blondie with Nutella Swirl

Nutella Banoffee Cream Pie

serves 8, though I highly recommend you to double the recipe. Same amount of effort, double the yield.

Ingredients

Butter Pie Crust

• 4 teaspoon sour cream
• 3-4 tablespoon ice water
• 1 1/4 cup / 180g all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 8 tablespoon / 112g unsalted butter, cut into 1cm pieces and freeze for 10-15 min
• 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

Caramel Banana Filling

• 3/4 cup / 150g granulated sugar
• 1/5 cup / 50mL water
• 2 large and very ripe bananas, about 250g, chopped into small pieces
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup / 250g cream cheese, softened to room temperature

Chantilly Cream

• 1 cup / 250mL whipping cream (35%)
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Assembly

• 1 banana, sliced
• juice of half a lemon
• 1 prebaked pie crust
• 3/4 cup / 190mL Nutella
• 1 recipe of caramel banana filling
• 1 recipe of Chantilly cream
• 10 hazelnuts, toasted & halved

Method

Butter Pie Crust

1. Stir together sour cream and 3 tablespoon of ice water in a glass until combined. Combine flour, sugar, salt into the bowl of a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds. Add in butter pieces and pulse for 3-5 pulses until butter is the size of peas. Add in sour cream mixture in 2 additions and pulse a couple of times in between. The dough ought to be pretty crumbly but would hold together when you squeeze it. If not, add in the last tablespoon of ice water and pulse to combine.
2. Empty the dough onto a big piece of plastic wrap. Squeeze to shape into a round disk about 4 inches in diameter. Wrap well and chill in refrigerator overnight.
3. When you’re ready to roll out the dough, sprinkle your work surface and dough with graham cracker crumbs. Leave dough out at room temperature for about 10 minutes so it softens up enough to roll out. Roll into a 12 inch circle and line a 9 inch glass pie plate with pie dough. Trim the edges and tuck in excess. Flute the edge of the dough and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Freeze for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 375C. Remove plastic wrap from pie dough and line the inside with foil and pie weights. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and pie weight and bake for another 10-12 minutes until lightly browned. Cool to room temperature.

Caramel Banana Filling

1. In a medium heavy bottom sauce pan, combine sugar and water. Cook over high heat until it turns into reddish-brown caramel colour. Don’t stir the syrup but swirl the pan occasionally to ensure even cooking.
2. Working quickly, remove the pan from heat and add in bananas. The caramel will hiss and sizzle. Return pan to heat and gently simmer over low heat until banana breaks down.
3. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Empty into a container and chill overnight.
4. When you’re ready to assemble the pie, beat soften cream cheese in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Beat in banana caramel until smooth.

Chantilly Cream

1. Whisk cold cream until billowy and holds soft peaks. Whisk in sugar and vanilla extract.

Assembly

1. Toss banana slices in lemon juice and set aside.
2. Fill the prebaked pie crust with Nutella. Smooth into even layer.
3. Top the Nutella layer with caramel banana filling. Smooth into even layer. You can chill the pie at this point if you want.
4. Dollop clouds of Chantilly cream on top of pie and stud with banana slices and toasted hazelnut. Serve immediately.