Mmmm . . . Pie

Pumpkin Pie! Pumpkin Banana Mousse Tart to be exact. From who else, but Ina Garten. This one can be found in Barefoot Contessa Family Style. I made this one on Thanksgiving in my efforts to spice up our desserts a bit. The pumpkin pie is usually the least popular on the table . . . would you believe some members of the family don't even like pumpkin pie? Well you see the challenge I had in front of me. Turns out they like pumpkin pie! At least if there's banana and some cream mixed in. Who knew. Not to mention the graham cracker crust. Let's just say the pie was gone by Friday night.

This one comes out lighter with more flavor than your typical pumpkin pie, which I have to admit even I was tiring of the last couple years. You can make it a day or two in advance, which makes it rather convenient. And let's not forget how fancy you'll fell when you create the "double boiler." I used my Corning Ware dish for this part, but any heat proof bowl will do. What would we do without Ina?

Pumpkin Banana Mousse Tart

Barefoot Contessa Family Style (Ina Garten)

Serves 10

For the Crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs (14 crackers)

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling

1/2 cup half-and-half

1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree

1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 extra-large egg yolks

1 package (2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin

1 ripe banana, finely mashed

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/2 cup cold heavy cream

2 tablespoons sugar

For the Decoration

1 cup (1/2 pint) cold heavy cream

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Orange zest (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter in a bowl and mix well. Pour into an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and press evenly into the sides and then the bottom. Bake for 10 minutes and then cool to room temperature.

For the filling, heat the half-and-half, pumpkin, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water until hot, about 5 minutes. Whisk the egg yolks in another bowl, stir some of the hot pumpkin mixture into the egg yolks to heat them, then pour the egg-pumpkin mixture back into the double-boiler and stir well. Heat the mixture over the simmering water for another 4 to 5 minutes, until it begins to thicken, stirring constantly. You don't want the eggs to scramble. Remove from the heat.

Dissolve the gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water. Add the dissolved gelatin, banana and orange zest to the pumpkin mixture and mix well. Set aside to cool.

Whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture and pour it into the cooled tart shell. Chill for 2 hours or overnight.

For the decoration, whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks.  Pipe or spoon the whipped cream decoratively on the tart and sprinkle, if desired, with orange zest. Serve chilled.

Note: if making a day or two ahead, decorate with whipped cream an hour or two before serving.