Mini Banana Cream Pies

Ingredients

• 2 cups
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cups finely crushed graham cracker crumbs
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2/3 cup homemade or store-bought salted caramel sauce
• 1 3/4 cups heavy cream
• 3 1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 4 – 5 bananas, sliced
• Grated bittersweet chocolate, optional

Directions

1. For the pastry cream, add the milk, cream, 1/4 cup sugar and salt to a medium saucepan. Set it over medium heat and bring it just to a gentle boil, whisking so the sugar dissolves. Take the pan off the heat and let it sit for several minutes. While it rests, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup sugar with the cornstarch in a medium mixing bowl, then add the egg and egg yolks. Beat on low with an electric hand mixer until the mixture looks light and fluffy, about 1 minute. As you whisk the egg mixture, slowly stream in 2/3 cup of the hot milk mixture. Then whisk the contents of the saucepan while pouring the egg mixture back into it. Return the pan to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the cream is nicely thickened, about 4 – 8 minutes; whisk hard toward the end so lumps do not sneak in. It should resemble a thick pudding, and if it begins to separate, pull it from the heat and beat it smooth with the electric mixer. Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla and immediately press the pastry cream through a fine mesh strainer into a medium mixing bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic directly against the surface so a skin does not form. Refrigerate until fully chilled, about 4 hours; while it chills, make and cool the salted caramel sauce if using homemade.
2. For the crust, whisk the graham cracker crumbs and granulated sugar together in a mixing bowl. Add the melted butter and stir until all the crumbs are evenly dampened.
3. For the whipped cream topping, beat the heavy cream in a large mixing bowl until soft peaks form. Add the 3 1/2 Tbsp sugar and continue whipping until stiff peaks hold. Refrigerate until you are ready to assemble, then spoon it into a large pastry bag fitted with a star pastry tip.
4. To assemble, portion the graham cracker mixture into 12 small dessert cups, using about 2 Tbsp for each one, and press it lightly into a level base. Place 3 banana slices on top of the crumb layer in each cup. Spoon the chilled pastry cream into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip; if it is very thick, fold it a few times first to loosen it slightly. Pipe the pastry cream over the bananas. Add 3 more banana slices to each cup. Spoon a scant 1 Tbsp of caramel sauce over that second banana layer, drizzling as evenly as you can; if the caramel is thick, microwave it briefly to loosen it, but do not let it become warm. Pipe the whipped cream over the caramel, then add chocolate shavings if desired. Refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving, and add a banana slice garnish just before serving.