This recipe is very closely adapted from The Bake Feed. I prepared it for my husband’s birthday. The combination of the coconut with the bananas is just delicious! It has a delicious crust. I prepared mine in a square tart pan, but you a 9 inch tart pan would be just fine or a rectangular one as well. I also used a whipped cream piper to decorate the top of the dessert, but you could dollop the cream on top. Choose nice ripe bananas to layer on the bottom of the crust for best results and sprinkle with extra crushed vanilla wafer crust as a garnish as desired for an extra crunch.

Ingredients:

for crust:

  • 50 Vanilla Wafers
  • ¾ cup sweetened flaked coconut
  • a dash of kosher salt
  • 6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
for filling:
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2⅔ cups whole milk
  • 4 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2½ teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
  • 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
  • 2 large ripe bananas, sliced
  • 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
  • 3 tablespoons confectioners sugar
  • 1 medium banana , sliced for garnish

Directions:

prepare crust:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F . Spray a a 9-inch square tart dish with removable crust (or 9 inch round) and place tart pan on a rimmed baking pan.
  2. In the work bowl of a food processor, pulse together vanilla wafers, coconut, and salt until fine crumbs remain. Add melted butter, and pulse to combine until well incorporated. Press mixture into bottom and up sides of prepared pan.
  3. Bake until set, about 8 -10 minutes. Let cool completely.
for filling:
  1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, flour, and salt. Slowly whisk in milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is bubbly and thickened. Cook 2 minutes more.
  2. Place egg yolks in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle about 1 cup of hot milk mixture into egg yolks, whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Pour egg mixture back into remaining hot milk mixture in saucepan, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly over medium high heat until mixture is thick and smooth. Add butter and 1½ teaspoons vanilla, stirring until combined. Stir in coconut. Let cool at room temperature for 10 minutes.
  3. Layer bananas in bottom of prepared Vanilla-Coconut Crust. Spoon filling over bananas and spread evenly into crust. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap, pressing wrap directly onto surface of filling to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

prepare whipped cream:

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat cream at medium speed until soft peaks form. Add remaining confectioners sugar and remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla, and beat until thickened and cloud-like. Dollop whipped cream onto filling or pipe on decoratively. Garnish with banana slices. To serve, gently lift the crust out from tart pan by pushing up on the bottom. Enjoy!