Banoffee pie

British banana and toffee cream pie

Origin: England (1972)

From the journey of Banana.

Banoffee pie was invented in 1972 at The Hungry Monk restaurant in Jevington, East Sussex, England, by chef Nigel Mackenzie and Ian Dowding. The name is a portmanteau of banana and toffee. The original recipe called for boiling an unopened tin of condensed milk in water for several hours until the milk transformed into a thick, caramel-like dulce de leche (a technique that was already being used in parts of South America. Sliced bananas, fresh cream, and a crumbly biscuit base completed the dish. Banoffee pie became one of the most popular desserts in British culinary history, eventually spreading worldwide. Its success is a perfect example of how a globally traded ingredient) the banana, which arrived in Britain through the Caribbean trade networks of the 19th century: could become embedded in the cuisine of a country far from the tropics. Today, banoffee pie is an icon of British baking, beloved for its uncomplicated richness and the perfect pairing of banana, caramel, and cream.

Ingredients

Base

250 g digestive biscuits (about 16 biscuits)
100 g unsalted butter, melted

Toffee

397 g tinned dulce de leche or caramel (1 standard tin)

Filling

3 ripe bananas, sliced into rounds

Topping

300 ml double cream (heavy cream)
1 tbsp icing sugar (powdered sugar)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Garnish

1 tbsp cocoa powder or grated chocolate, for dusting

Method

Crush the digestive biscuits in a food processor (or in a zip-lock bag with a rolling pin) to fine crumbs. Mix with the melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand.
Press the crumb mixture firmly and evenly into the base and up the sides of a 23 cm / 9-inch loose-bottomed tart tin or springform pan. Press firmly with the back of a spoon to compact. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.
Spread the dulce de leche evenly over the chilled biscuit base. Return to the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up slightly.
Arrange the banana slices in a single layer over the caramel, covering it completely.
Whip the double cream with the icing sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Spoon or pipe over the bananas, covering them completely.
Dust with cocoa powder or scatter over grated chocolate. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 4 hours) before serving. Slice with a sharp knife.

Notes

Banoffee pie is best assembled and eaten the same day: the bananas will brown and soften if left too long under the cream. If making ahead, keep the components separate and assemble up to 4 hours before serving. Tinned dulce de leche (sold as caramel in many supermarkets) is by far the easiest option. Digestive biscuits can be substituted with graham crackers in North America.

The Gastrographer

Name: Banoffee pie
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: England
Ingredients: 250 g digestive biscuits (about 16 biscuits); 100 g unsalted butter, melted; 397 g tinned dulce de leche or caramel (1 standard tin); 3 ripe bananas, sliced into rounds; 300 ml double cream (heavy cream); 1 tbsp icing sugar (powdered sugar); 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 tbsp cocoa powder or grated chocolate, for dusting

Mapping Culinary History

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control