Pumpkin Banana Mouse Pie

This is Michael’s favorite pie for Thanksgiving. It’s become a pie that I make every home coming for Michael, and every Thanksgiving. If you’re tired of the traditional pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, I urge you to make this pie. It is light and not too sweet. It’s quite a delight from the usual heavy spiced pumpkin desserts you get at Thanksgiving. This recipe is from my favorite chef of the Hamptons. 

Ingredients: 

For the Crust:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs (14 crackers)

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling:

1/2 cup half-and-half

1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree

1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 extra-large egg yolks

1 package (2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin

1 ripe banana, finely mashed

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/2 cup cold heavy cream

2 tablespoons sugar

For the Decoration:

1 cup (1/2 pint) cold heavy cream

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Orange zest (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon and melted butter in a bowl and mix well. Pour into an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and press evenly into the sides and then the bottom. Bake for 10 minutes and then cool to room temperature.
3. For the filling, heat the half-and-half, pumpkin, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water until hot, about 5 minutes. Whisk the egg yolks in another bowl, stir some of the hot pumpkin into the egg yolks to heat them, then pour the egg-pumpkin mixture back into the double boiler and stir well. Heat the mixture over the simmering water for another 4 to 5 minutes, until it begins to thicken, stirring constantly. You don't want the eggs to scramble. Remove from the heat.
4. Dissolve the gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water. Add the dissolved gelatin, banana and orange zest to the pumpkin mixture and mix well. Set aside to cool.
5. Whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture and pour it into the cooled tart shell. Chill for 2 hours or overnight.
6. For the decoration, whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks. Pipe or spoon the whipped cream decoratively on the tart and sprinkle, if desired, with orange zest. Serve chilled.