Cheat's Banoffee Pie

This recipe was just meant to be. I needed a quick, make-ahead recipe and I had decided that my starting point would be bananas as I had bought too many and needed to use them up before they turned bad.  I had also just bought new mini quiche tins, and I don't know about you, but when I get something new I need to use it straight away.  (Same goes when I buy new clothes.)

Banoffee pie quickly came to mind and I excitedly realised that, excluding the biscuits, I had all of the ingredients hanging around to make a great cheat's version.  Better still, when I went to the shops to buy the biscuits they were on special for half-price - like I said, it was a dessert that was just meant to be!

I was making dinner for a good friend who came over on Saturday night.  I needed a menu I could prepare before going to netball as we wouldn't be getting home until after five. He loves dumplings and after he posted a nice comment about my chicken pot stickers earlier in the week I promised I'd make them the next time he came over.  I deliver on my promises so I made a prawn version for our starter.  I decided to keep the Asian theme going and made my Lemongrass Chicken Banh Minh rolls for the main. This banoffee pie was obviously the dessert and I gotta say, it was a winner.

However if you are one of those people that says ridiculous things like "I am not a dessert person" or "I can only have a couple of bites, this is just too rich for me" then you need to check out this raspberry, mango and macadamia meringue instead and we'll just not be friends for this post.

If, however, you are a person that immediately reaches for a spoon when you hear the words 'chocolate, caramel, banana, cream and almonds', then this recipe is for you and we can definitely be friends!

There is clearly nothing healthy about this dessert.  But the 80:20 approach to eating works for me and this just falls into the 20% part of my diet devoted to more indulgent eats!
The biscuit base is made from Chocolate Ripple Biscuits and melted butter.  Banoffee pie is more commonly made with a plain base using biscuits like Granita or Digestive biscuits.  You can really use which ever biscuit you like to make the base.

I used a tin of ready made caramel, but you can obviously make your own instead.  Or go all foodie and boil up a can of condensed milk and call it 'banoffee dulche de leche' instead.  

I used thick cream that can just be dolloped straight from the pot, but whipped cream works too. You could also mix the toppings up; salted peanuts might be nice.  

You could also use one 20cm fluted loose bottom quiche tin instead of the four smaller tins I used.

Cheat's Banoffee Pie

250g chocolate ripple biscuits
125g butter, melted
380g can ready-made caramel
2 bananas
200ml thick cream
Chocolate sauce and flaked almonds to serve


Grease or spray four small, fluted, loose-bottom tart tins.

Process biscuits in a food processor until fine crumbs form.  With the motor still running, add the melted butter and continue to process until the mixture is well combined and starting to stick together.

Divide the crumb mixture evenly between the tins and press firmly along the base and up the sides.

Pour the caramel into the biscuit bases, dividing equally between the four pies.  Place in the freezer for four hours or overnight.

To serve, remove the pies from the tins.  Slice the bananas on the angle and arrange on top of the caramel layer. Top with cream, a drizzle of chocolate sauce and flaked almonds.

Enjoy!

Linking up with Lauren at Create Bake Make & Lucy at Bake Play Smile for fabulous foodie friday.

Tell me, what is your favourite cooking cheat?

Keep smiling
Dani