Banana Cream Pie With Bourbon Whipped Cream

Preparation

1. Crust

   Step 1

   Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat oven to 350°. Mix 1¾ cups (210 g) finely crushed graham crackers (about 15), ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a large bowl until mixture looks like wet sand.

   Step 2

   Transfer graham cracker mixture to pie dish and press evenly across bottom and up sides all the way to the edges with your hands or a flat-bottom glass until compact and smooth. Bake crust until set and fragrant, 12–15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

2. Filling and assembly

   Step 3

   Whisk ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar, ½ cup (62 g) all-purpose flour, ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and 2½ cups whole milk in a medium saucepan to combine. Cook over medium heat, whisking often, until simmering and sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

   Step 4

   Whisk 3 large egg yolks in a small bowl to blend. Gradually add 1 cup hot milk mixture, whisking vigorously as you pour. (This will ensure that the yolks don’t cook.) Whisking constantly, add egg mixture remaining milk mixture in saucepan; scrape out bowl with a rubber spatula to get it all. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and a few bubbles are breaking on the surface, about 4 minutes. Continue to cook, whisking constantly and adjusting heat as needed to ensure pastry cream does not boil, 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and add 4 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½" pieces, and 2 tsp. vanilla extract; whisk until smooth.

   Step 5

   Strain pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly onto surface to prevent a skin from forming, and chill until room temperature, 30–40 minutes.

   Step 6

   Shingle 2–3 bananas, sliced ¼" thick, across bottom of crust. (Using 2 bananas if you want a thinner layer, 3 if you like more bananas.) Spoon pastry cream over bananas (if it has become firm, whisk gently to loosen); smooth with an offset spatula or a spoon. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until set, at least 4 hours.

   Step 7

   Just before serving, using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup heavy cream, ¼ cup (28 g) powdered sugar, sifted, 2 tsp. bourbon (if using), remaining 1 tsp. vanilla extract, and remaining ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a chilled small bowl, starting on low speed and working up to medium-high, until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Top pie with whipped cream and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.

   Do ahead: Pie (without whipped cream) can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.