Banoffee Pie

Created by Ian Dowding, one-time chef at the Hungry Monk near Eastbourne

Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients

• For the base
• 225g digestive biscuits
• 100g pecans
• 125g salted butter, melted

For the filling

• 125g salted butter, diced
• 100g soft brown sugar
• 400g dulce de leche or caramel
• ½ tsp salt

For the topping

• 60g pecans
• 15g icing sugar
• 4-5 ripe bananas
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• 275ml double cream
• Half tsp coffee granules

Method

Whizz the biscuits to crumbs in a food processor (or put them in a freezer bag and smash them to smithereens with a rolling pin), roughly chop the pecans and stir together with the melted butter. Press the mixture into a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin to line the base and sides. Chill while you make the filling.

Melt the butter and sugar together in a pan, and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the dulce de leche and the salt and bring to the boil, stirring constantly until smooth. Pour over the base, and chill for an hour.

Preheat the oven to 180C, line a baking tray and rinse and drain the pecans. Put into a bowl and sprinkle with the icing sugar, then spread out on to the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, shaking occasionally. Allow to cool. (The pie can be made up to this point up to 48 hours in advance.)

Thinly slice the bananas and toss with the lemon juice. Arrange on top of the cooled caramel in concentric circles.