Banoffee Pie

A banoffee pie is the British name for a banana toffee pie, and features the delicious combination of bananas, graham crackers, and dulce de leche. The pie comes together quickly with only a handful of pantry-friendly ingredients. While you can use store-bought canned dulce de leche , this recipe calls for the homemade version, which you  can make by simmering a can of sweetened condensed milk on the stovetop for a few hours. It requires almost no hands-on time, and the results are truly magical — when you pop the can open, you’ll discover that the milk has thickened into dulce de leche and turned a deep dark, glossy bronze. Topping the pie with lightly salted whipped cream cuts the sweetness of the crust and bananas, and also helps to accentuate the caramel-like flavor of the dulce de leche, giving the filling salted caramel vibes.

What is dulce de leche?

Dulce de leche, which translates to “sweet of milk” in Spanish, is a thick caramel sauce made by slowly heating sweetened condensed milk or milk with sugar for several hours until it caramelizes. 

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

This pie can be made with store-bought canned dulce de leche, which cuts prep time considerably, but avoid using jarred or bottled dulce de leche —  the consistency is thinner and the results will not be the same. If you use canned dulce de leche, you’ll need 1 ¼ cups from one 13.4-ounce can. 

Use a flat-bottomed dry measuring cup or small bowl to press the crust into the pie plate, then use your fingers to press and clean up the edges. 

Make ahead

The homemade dulce de leche will last up to two weeks in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The crust can be made up to a day ahead and kept covered at room temperature.