Bret's Banana Cream Pie

Makes enough for one large 12-inch pie, or two 9-inch pies.

This recipe is  Work In Progress.  May need adjusting as it seems too sweet.  The two cans of condensed milk might be too much.
Shortbread Crust
2 1/2 c. flour
6 oz butter, softened
1 large egg
1 tsp salt
6 tbsp sugar

Custard Filling:
2 cans condensed milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
4 tbsp butter

4 bananas, mashed

2 1/2 c. milk
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 c. flour
6 egg yolks

3-4 bananas for chopping & layering

Topping:
1 1/2 c. whipping cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla
pinch salt
2-3 tbsp powdered sugar to stiffen the peaks further

Crust Prep:
Use a pastry blender and mix the butter, sugar, egg, flour and salt together until somewhat crumbly.
Press this into the pie pan(s)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Chill in freezer for 20 minutes.

Custard Prep:
In a large pot on the stove, add the condensed milk, two cups of the plain milk (reserve half a cup), butter, salt, vanilla.  Begin heating on medium heat.  In a separate bowl, gradually blend 1/2 c. milk with the flour and cornstarch until its smooth & thick.  Add this to the pot on the stove. 

Separate the eggs.  Save the egg whites for something else (optionally make meringue instead of the whipped cream topping) Put the egg yolks into a separate, large mixing bowl and keep on hand near the pot that's heating up.  These are to be tempered with the hot mixture.

Around now the crust should be cool and firm.  Place in over at 375 degrees and bake for 20 minutes.

Mash the bananas, add them to the yolks.  This can be put through a blender if you want a smooth banana custard.

Once the condensed milk mixture is steaming hot, gradually add it to the egg-banana mixture and blend it.  Once combined, pour it all back into the large pot and cook over med-low heat until it's good and thick, stirring often.  This again can be blended if you want it very smooth.

Once the crust is done, remove it from the oven.  Change the oven temp to 325 degrees.  Add half of the filling (if making two 9-inchers, use a quarter, or put a half-inch layer down, roughly in each shell).  Then layer sliced banana on top of the custard.  Spread the remaining custard over the top.

If making a large pie, bake it for 40 minutes.  If making two 9-inchers, bake for 30.

Let the pie cool completely.  This will take about 3-4 hours.  Once cooled, put it in the fridge and chill it thoroughly.  This will likely take overnight.

Once completely chilled, make the whipped cream topping. 

Beat the whipping cream and vanilla on high until peaks begin to form.  Gradually add in the powdered sugar.  If necessary, use a bit more cornstarch to stiffen up the whipped cream.  Pile it onto the chilled pie, and top with bananas.