Chocolate Butterfinger Banana Cream Pie

This past Monday was my father's birthday.  We went out for thai food to celebrate and then finished the evening with a homemade birthday pie. I know he loves banana cream so I started with that as a base and then added bittersweet chocolate pudding and crushed butterfinger. It was all contained within a cinnamon sugar graham cracker crust and topped with vanilla bean whipped cream. Instead of candles I opted for a miniature  handmade "Happy Birthday" banner. 

Chocolate Butterfinger Banana Cream Pie

 Ingredients

[CRUST]

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup sugar 

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

8 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted 

[PUDDING & WHIPPED CREAM]

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

4 egg yolks

2 1/2 cups milk (whole)

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1 vanilla bean

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, broken into chunks

3 bananas, sliced 1/2 inch thick 

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

3 Tbsp confectioners sugar

1 butterfinger bar, crushed with mallet 

Salt, just a pinch 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor or large bowl combine crust ingredients until mixed and then press into a 9-inch pan dish. Bake for 8-10 minutes (until lightly browned) and then let cool completely. 

2. In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, egg yolks, and 1/2 cup of the milk.  Whisk until Smooth and then add the rest of the milk and cook over medium heat (constantly stirring) for about 7-8 minutes or until the pudding gets nice and thick. Remove from heat once thick and stir in butter, vanilla extract, and half of the vanilla bean seeds, and a pinch of salt. 

3. Immediately pour half the pudding into a bowl and then add your broken chocolate pieces into the remaining pudding and stir until smooth. Next, add in half of the crushed butterfinger. 

4. Pour the chocolate butterfinger pudding into the bottom of your crust. 

5. Next, add your bananas.

6. Cover the bananas with the remaining vanilla bean pudding.

7. Let pie set up for at least 6 hours in the fridge.

8.  Right before serving, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to make your whipped cream. Whip Heavy cream with confectioners sugar and remaining half of vanilla beans seeds until nice and fluffy. Top pie with whipped cream and then sprinkle with remaining crushed butterfinger. 

9. Enjoy! 

Happy Birthday Pops!!