Carmelized Banana Pudding Pie

I baked this for my brother-in-law who just got out of the hospital.   He is the biggest fan of banana pudding pie.  I wanted to switch things up a bit though and make something special.  I believe the best gifts are homemade and filled with love. Happy Sunday and Happy Baking!!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living

Ingredients

• 1  (12-oz.) box vanilla wafers, divided 
• 1/2 cup butter, melted 
• 4 large bananas, sliced
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2  large eggs 
• 4  egg yolks 
• 2 cups milk 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4  egg whites 
• 1/2 cup sugar

Preparation

1. Set aside 30 vanilla wafers; pulse remaining vanilla wafers in a food processor 8 to 10 times or until coarsely crushed. (Yield should be about 2 1/2 cups.) Stir together crushed vanilla wafers and 1/2 cup melted butter until blended. Firmly press on bottom, up sides, and onto lip of a 9-inch pieplate.
2. Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack, and let cool 30 minutes or until completely cool.
3. Cook brown sugar, cinnamon and 1/4 cup butter in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes or until bubbly. Add banana slices; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat.
4. Arrange caramelized banana slices evenly over bottom of crust.
5. Prepare Vanilla Cream Filling.  Whisk together 3/4 cup of sugar, 1/3 cup of flour, 2 large eggs, 4 egg yolks, and 2 cups of milk in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, 8 to 10 minutes or until it reaches the thickness of chilled pudding. (Mixture will just begin to bubble and will be thick enough to hold soft peaks when whisk is lifted.) Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla. Use immediately.
6. Spread half of hot filling over bananas in pie plate; top with 20 vanilla wafers. Spread remaining hot filling over vanilla wafers. (Filling will be about 1/4 inch higher than top edge of crust.)
7. Beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Add remaining sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves. Spread meringue evenly over hot filling, sealing the edges.
8. Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven, and let cool 1 hour on a wire rack or until completely cool. Coarsely crush remaining 10 vanilla wafers, and sprinkle evenly over top of pie. Chill 4 hours.

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