Banana Cream Cheesecake Pie

FOR THE CRUST AND CHEESECAKE:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees set the rack in middle of the oven.
2. Mix the crushed graham and Biscoff crumbs with melted butter and sugar. Press into the bottom and sides of a 10×2 inch pie plate. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
3. Combine room temperature cream cheese, eggs, sugar, vanilla and lemon juice in a bowl. Mix until smooth.
4. Pour into the crust.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until set in middle.
6. Remove and let cool completely or refrigerate, covered until the next day when assembling.

FOR THE CUSTARD:

1. Whisk eggs and yolk in a small bowl, set aside.
2. Place milk, sugar, cornstarch and salt in a heavy saucepan. Mix together with a whisk.
3. Turn heat to medium high and place the saucepan on heat. Cook mixture for about 5 minutes, whisking while cooking to prevent milk and sugar from burning. Let the mixture come to a gentle boil while stirring.
4. After the mixture has cooked for about 5-7 minutes and has thickened, remove from heat. This cooking process may take up to 10 minutes. Do not rush it!
5. Using a 1/4 cup measure, remove some of the cooked milk mixture and pour a stream of the cooked milk into the beaten eggs while mixing the eggs with a fork. Repeat about 3 times so 3/4 cup of cooked milk is mixed into the eggs.
6. After the eggs have been tempered*, add the egg mixture to the hot milk mixture in the saucepan. Whisk until milk mixture and eggs are incorporated.
7. Place the saucepan with the custard back on the stove and cook over medium heat until the mixture reaches a gentle boil again. Cook for about 2 minutes while whisking.
8. Remove from heat. Add the butter and vanilla to the custard.
9. Pour the mixture into a bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap onto the custard to prevent a film from forming on the top of the custard. Place in the refrigerator and let cool completely for about 1 hour.

FOR THE WHIPPING CREAM:

1. Whip the heavy cream until peaks form, then beat in powdered sugar, refrigerate in covered bowl until ready to serve.

FOR THE CARAMEL:

1. In a small heavy saucepan combine brown sugar, water and lemon juice. Bring to boiling over medium heat. Reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally until slightly thickened and bubbly.
2. Stir in whipping cream, butter and vanilla. Cool sauce completely. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
3. Cover and store in the fridge for up to three days. (I pour into a small jelly jar) Bring to room temperature and warm just before serving.

ASSEMBLY:

1. When ready to assemble the pie, lay the bananas sideways (instead of the traditional way of laying flat) in a tight spiral on top of the cheesecake layer (as shown in the photo).
2. Spoon the custard over the bananas and smooth gently to edges. The custard will form a bit of a mound. Cover the custard with Saran Wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours to set. It is ok for the Saran Wrap to lay directly on the custard. This will prevent the custard from forming a “skin” on top when refrigerated.
3. When ready to serve, top the pie with whipped cream and caramel sauce.