Peanut Butter and Banana Pie

Ingredients

• 8 ounces Cracklin' Oat Bran cereal crumbs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• 1 teaspoon powdered gelatin
• 2 ounces Frangelico or other nut flavored liquor
• 9 ounces creamy peanut butter
• 16 ounces heavy cream
• 2 ounces confectioner's sugar
• 4 average-sized ripe bananas

Directions

1. Stir the cereal crumbs, salt, and sugar together in a large bowl. Drizzle in the melted butter, then work it through until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Transfer the crumbs to a 9-inch pie plate and press them across the bottom and up the sides to make the crust. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until the shell has firmed slightly; it will still be fairly fragile and crumbly.
2. Pour the Frangelico into a small heatproof bowl or a coffee mug. Sprinkle the gelatin over it slowly, using a little at a time so it does not clump, then leave it for 5 minutes to hydrate. Put the peanut butter in a medium heatproof bowl and microwave it in 30-second bursts, stirring after each burst, until it is hot when you touch it and loose enough to pour. Set the peanut butter aside. Microwave the bloomed gelatin in 15-second bursts, stirring after each one, until fully melted. Add the melted gelatin to the liquid peanut butter and stir hard; it will tighten into a very thick, sticky mixture. Continue stirring until it looks completely uniform.
3. Fit a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Add the heavy cream and powdered sugar to its bowl, and whip them to soft peaks. Scoop out 3 ounces of the whipped cream and refrigerate it. Add the peanut butter mixture to the cream left in the mixer, then whisk on high for 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl, including the bottom, and whisk again until the peanut butter is fully blended into the whipped cream and no clumps show, another 15 to 30 seconds.
4. Cut 3 bananas into 1/8-inch slices. In the chilled crust, build alternating layers of banana slices and peanut butter mousse, ending with mousse. Refrigerate the pie for at least 4 hours. When you are ready to serve, spoon or pipe the reserved whipped cream over the top; if it has softened, whisk it briefly first. Add slices of the remaining banana as decoration, then serve right away.