Special Feature: Thanksgiving Pies

I subscribe to Food Network magazine, and they gave me this insert with last month's issue in entitled "50 Pies". 50 Pies. The trouble with 50 pies is that you have to choose one.

I guess the the first thing I did wrong was read the 50 pies pamphlet late at night when I couldn't sleep. I dreamt that I made 4 miniature pies. Then I dreamt that I made one pie that was a combination of the 4. I woke up in a deeper pie confusion than ever before.

I stumbled to the grocery store Thanksgiving morning still undecided about which pie to make. I ended up buying the ingredients for three: Butterscotch Pecan, Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl, and Milk Chocolate Banana. 

As I baked, I turned the Chocolate Banana into a Chocolate Banana Cheesecake, and it turned out so good that I thought I'd share the recipe. 

For the crust:

1 1/4 cups flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons butter, chopped into pieces

2 ounces cream cheese, chopped into pieces

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons ice water

Step 1: Pulse the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor.

Step 2: Add butter and pulse.

Step 3: Add cream cheese and pulse.

Step 4: Add vinegar and water and pulse a few more times, until dough holds together.

Step 5: Gather into a ball and wrap in plastic. Chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours.

For the pie filling:

2 bananas, sliced

6 ounces softened cream cheese

1/6 cup sour cream

Sugar separated into 1/6 cup and 1/3 cup

1 egg, plus 4 egg yolks

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon

2 tablespoons brewed coffee, cooled

1 cup evaporated milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 ounces milk chocolate, broken into small pieces

Step 1: Line the bottom of the pie crust with sliced bananas.

Step 2: Blend cream cheese, sour cream, 1 egg, and 1/6 cup of the sugar. Spread over the bananas.

Step 3: Whisk 1/3 cup sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt in a large bowl.

Step 4: Add egg yolks, coffee, evaporated milk and vanilla extract, and continue to whisk.

Step 5: Stir in chocolate pieces.

Step 6: Pour mixture over the top of bananas and cream cheese

Cook at 350 degrees for 60 minutes.  The filling should have solidified somewhat, but still be soft.