King Fluffernutter
The flavors in this pie are inspired by two classic sandwiches—the Elvis and the fluffernutter. The Elvis sandwich is a combination of peanut butter, banana slices, and bacon that was reportedly a favorite of the king of rock ’n roll, Elvis Presley. The fluffernutter is a peanut butter and marshmallow creme sandwich. This creamy pie combines all of these—a peanut-studded peanut butter mousse topped with sliced fresh bananas, a banana-infused cream, and a crown of marshmallow-y brown sugar meringue. Before serving, the pie is sprinkled with chopped slices of crisp bacon deliciousness.
MAKES ONE 9½-INCH DEEP-DISH PIE
WHAT YOU NEED
Deep-Dish Single Crust (this page), baked and cooled in a 9½-inch deep-dish pie plate
Piping bag (see this page) fitted with a Wilton #1M or other large star tip (optional)
INGREDIENTVOLUMEWEIGHT (STAN
DARD)WEIGHT (METRIC)
CANDIED BACON TOPPING
Thick-sliced baconabout 4 slices3 ounces85 grams
Light brown sugar, lightly packed1 tablespoon0.45 ounce13 grams
BANANA PUDDING CREAM
Bananas, yellow all over, with some brown spots (weighed after peeling)4 medium14 ounces400 grams
Whole milk1 cup8.5 ounces242 grams
Heavy cream plus up to 174 grams more1⅓ cups plus up to ¾ cup more, as needed10.9 ounces plus up to 6.15 ounces more309 grams
Cornstarch¼ cup1.05 ounces30 grams
Granulated sugar½ cup plus 1 tablespo
on4.05 ounces115 grams
Salt¼ teaspoon
Eggs2 large
Unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces4 tablespoons2 ounces55 grams
Vanilla extract1 teaspoon
Fresh lemon juice2 teaspoons
PEANUT BUTTER MOUSSE
Cream cheese, at room temperature½ 8-ounce package4 ounces113 grams
Confectioners’ sugar½ cup2 ounces57 grams
Salt⅛ teaspoon
Creamy peanut butter½ cup4.75 ounces135 grams
Heavy cream½ cup4.1 ounces116 grams
Roasted salted peanuts, chopped⅓ cup1.35 ounces38 grams
BROWN SUGAR MERINGUE
Egg whites3 large
Light brown sugar, lightly packed⅔ cup4.65 ounces133 grams
Salt⅛ teaspoon
Vanilla extract½ teaspoon
MAKE THE CANDIED BACON TOPPING: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the bacon slices on an oven-safe metal rack set inside an aluminum foil–lined sheet pan. Sprinkle the bacon evenly with the brown sugar, then place in the oven to bake until deep golden brown and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes (the bacon will crisp up once it begins to cool). Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with a double layer of paper towels to cool, then dice it into ½-inch pieces. (The chopped bacon can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.)
START THE BANANA PUDDING CREAM: Peel and slice 2 bananas into 1-inch chunks. In a small saucepan, bring the milk and 1 cup/8.2 ounces/ 232 grams of cream to a boil with the banana chunks. When the mixture boils, remove the saucepan from the heat immediately and let it cool completely before refrigerating until cold, at least 1 hour or overnight.
Pour the banana mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl (don’t press on the bananas; discard them after straining). Transfer the strained mixture to a measuring cup. Add enough additional cream to bring the mixture to 2 cups total, then pour into a medium saucepan.
Whisk the cornstarch into the banana-milk mixture. Whisk in the granulated sugar, salt, and eggs. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a gentle boil, whisking constantly to prevent the mixture from sticking on the bottom. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue gently boiling the mixture until it thickens, whisking constantly, for about 1 minute.
Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla. Strain the mixture through a (clean) fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. The mixture is thick so you might need to press it through the sieve. Press plastic wrap on top of the mixture and refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours or up to 1 day.
MAKE THE PEANUT BUTTER MOUSSE: In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth, about 30 seconds. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar, salt, and peanut butter until combined.
In a separate bowl, whip the cream in a medium bowl on medium-high speed until it holds stiff peaks, 1 to 3 minutes. Fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture. Fold in the chopped peanuts, then spread this mixture evenly over the bottom of the cooled crust. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
FINISH THE BANANA PUDDING CREAM: Whip the remaining ⅓ cup/2.7 ounces/77 grams cream in a small bowl on medium-high speed until it holds soft peaks. Rapidly stir the cold banana cream mixture with a spoon or electric mixer. It may seem a little chunky—that’s okay for now. Fold the whipped cream into the banana filling until no streaks of whipped cream are visible (the mixture should be smooth and creamy).
Slice the 2 remaining bananas into ¼- to ½-inch slices and place them in a medium bowl. Toss the bananas with the lemon juice, and drain off any pooled lemon juice in the bottom of the bowl.
Evenly spread ½ cup of the banana pudding cream over the peanut butter mousse. Arrange the banana slices in a single layer on top of the cream. Spread the rest of the cream into an even layer over the banana slices. Refrigerate the pie.
MAKE THE BROWN SUGAR MERINGUE: Combine the egg whites, brown sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water to create a water bath, making sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Cook the egg white mixture over the simmering water, whisking constantly, until it reaches 160°F on an instant-read thermometer; the mixture will be very frothy and will increase in volume.
Transfer the bowl to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the mixture on medium-high speed until it holds stiff peaks and the outside of the bowl is completely cool, about 10 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. Spread or pipe the meringue over the top of the pie. Just before serving, sprinkle the candied bacon over the top of the pie. (Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.)
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