Banoffee Pie recipe for the lazy cook

Prep time: 30min

Ingredients

1 can of sweetened condensed milk (395g)

180g unsalted butter, chopped

375g digestive biscuits, halved

4 bananas

30g dark chocolate, finely grated

1 can light whipped cream

Cook time: 1hr 25min

Equipment

Large saucepan

Small saucepan

28cm loose based tin

Knife

Tea towel

The concept of leverage is all about achieving ever more with ever less. I’ve been reading a lot about it lately as I’m learning to systemise more areas of my businesses. As everything in my life relates back to food, I naturally got thinking about how the concept of leverage would apply in the kitchen.

The greatest leverage available to all home-cooks is the supermarket. With some planning, it is easy to leverage its cost savings and convenience to produce stunning homemade deliciousness.

Inspired by my recent meal at Cafe Sopra and the concept of leverage, I took advantage of the price drop on bananas, as well as some store-bought biscuits and a few other things… And turned a handful of measly ingredients into a banoffee pie!

This recipe requires no baking whatsoever and almost no cooking. It’s perfect for those looking for a semi-instant dessert.

The first step is to turn sweetened condensed milk into dulce de leche, an indulgent thick rich caramel.

It’s so easy and effortless – the can of condensed milk just needs to be immersed in a pot of water and simmered for two hours. The result is a gorgeous jam-like spread.

And for the base? Just crumb the biscuits with the butter, and voila!

INSTRUCTION

Place can of the condensed milk in a large saucepan of water and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 2 hours adding water if necessary to ensure cans remain covered, remove cans and cool in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Meanwhile melt butter in a small saucepan (or microwave), and then cool slightly. Using a food processor crush biscuits into fine crumbs, add the butter and process briefly to combine. Pres crumb mixture over the base of a greased 28cm loose based tin, then refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm the base.

Spoon caramel evenly over the biscuit base and refrigerate overnight until firm.

To assemble pie: Remove pie from the tin and loosen base and place on a plate. Spray whipped cream over the caramel filling, then place cut bananas in an overlapping circle working from the outside in. Top with more whipped cream and sprinkle with grated chocolate.
Cut into slices with a hot dry knife and serve immediately.

Tips: To stop noise of the cans rattling in the saucepan, place a folded tea towel in the base before adding the water.