Banana Cream Pie with Cardamom Caramel
My mom loves bananas so much she eats one almost every day with her chai and a piece of toast. So, I thought it was fitting for Mother’s Day to make her a banana cream pie with caramel plus the addition of the beloved spice of India, cardamom. Cardamom imparts a floral flavor that transforms this southern American favorite into an Indo fusion dessert with delicious cultural confusion.
There’s a cultural connection that comes with knowing that this is exactly how your ancestors prepared spices many years ago.
By the way, whenever I crush cardamom by hand in my mortar & pestle, it somehow makes me feel more Indian. I don’t know why. There’s a cultural connection that comes with knowing that this is exactly how your ancestors prepared spices many years ago, before the ease of electric grinders. With that said, this recipe definitely uses some shortcuts. I used to be that person who had to make everything from scratch. Now, I take shortcuts where I can while still relishing in the joy of standing over a pot of caramel for 1.75 hours. It’s how someone else’s Argentine ancestors did it after all. Yes, the dulce de leche takes a while to make, but I promise you it’s worth it! Top this gooey pie with extra caramel and of course enjoy a cup of chai with it like you’re in India without a care in the world. Pre-Covid, of course. See below for the history and health benefits of cardamom.
Banana Cream Pie with Cardamom Caramel
Makes: 8 serving
Calories: Don’t ask…
Time: 2 hours 15 mins
INGREDIENTS
Graham Cracker Crust
2.5 cups crushed graham crackers (I used Honey Maid® Fresh Stacks, 4 small stacks)
2 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. fresh ground cardamom (about 5 pods)
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1 stick butter, melted
Cardamom Caramel (Dulce de Leche)
2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. fresh ground cardamom (about 5 pods)
Filling
1 (5.1 oz) package Jello® vanilla instant pudding & pie filling mix
3 cups cold milk
3 bananas
Topping
Reddi Wip® whipped topping
Extra caramel
METHOD
Step 1
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Make the graham cracker crust by combining crackers, sugar, cardamom, and cinnamon in a blender or food processor. Pulse until crushed completely. Drizzle in the melted butter, combine, and press into a 9 or 10” pie pan using the bottom of a measuring cup. Bake for 7-10 minutes. Cool then set aside in the refrigerator. Alternatively, you could skip the baking and just chill it in the fridge.
Step 2
Make the cardamom caramel (dulce de leche) by combining milk, sugar, and baking soda in a medium saucepan. Cook until just boiled, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 1.5 - 1.75 hours stirring frequently. After the first hour, be more vigilant and stir often to prevent sugar crystals from forming. The caramel will be done when it coats the back of a spoon and changes to a caramel color. It will thicken upon cooling. Take off heat, stir in vanilla and cardamom, and set aside to cool. Note: the flavor of cardamom will dissipate a little so it may seem stronger now than it will be when you eat it.
Step 3
Meanwhile, make the vanilla pudding as instructed on the box using the cold milk. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
Step 4
Cut the bananas in rounds keeping the size as even as possible. (Mine were about 3/8” in thickness.)
Step 5
To assemble, pour almost all of the caramel onto the bottom of the pie crust, reserving 1/4 cup for drizzling afterwards. Add a layer of banana rounds, then vanilla pudding. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Right before serving, top with the whipped topping, a few extra bananas, and drizzle with caramel.
All About Cardamom
At least 4000 years ago, the Egyptians used cardamom for medicinal purposes, rituals, and embalming. Due to its pungent aroma, the Greeks and Romans used cardamom in perfumes and aromatic oils. Today, one of the oldest and expensive spices in the world, cardamom is revered in India & the Middle East not only for its floral flavor used in desserts & chai, but for its health benefits as well. Cardamom is known to help with digestive disorders, gum and teeth infections, inflammation, and tuberculosis. It even has anticancer properties. A study found that giving mice cardamom supplements for 15 days decreased the size and weight of their skin tumors. The spice is also used today in baked goods from the Nordic countries of Sweden, Norway, and Finland. Guatemala is the largest exporter of cardamom with India coming in second. Behind saffron and vanilla, cardamom is the third most expensive spice in the world.
Sources: https://www.luxury-insider.com/dining/guide-most-expensive-spices and https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326532#anticancer-properties
