My Banana Caramel Cream Cheese Pie for Christmas

Happy holidays y'all! :)

It's our last holiday season here in the country before we leave and well, in this home, I'd rather go big or go home... or should I say, go home and get fat! Haha!

Santa would have loved this... If only he was real. Lol

I have been slaving for hours in the kitchen today making my Christmas cookies and pie for our noche buena. I made extras so I can bring pasalubong for tomorrow's get together with the whole fam. It's our last holiday season here in the Philippines before we leave for Canada next year. Might as well leave them happy and full, yea?

They say the ham is a Pinoy's "star" at their noche buena,
but not to my kids. This is theirs. Haha!

Aside from the usual Pinoy tradition of fiesta ham dinner, I thought of making our own dessert this time. A couple of days back, I dreamt of making pie and thought I'd make a banoffee pie. This morning, though, I thought of cream cheese as well. So I figured, I'll make a banana caramel cream cheese pie instead. It's like banoffee pie with cream cheese frosting, instead of whipped cream.

As my Christmas gift to you guys, I am sharing you the recipe. :)

Ingredients:

Pie crust:

250g graham crackers, crushed
100g butter, melted

Caramel sauce:

1 can condensed milk
150g brown sugar
150g butter
1/4 tsp salt

Cream cheese frosting recipe here.

Toppings and filling:
5 large bananas
Chocolate chips/buttons
Chocolate sprinkles (optional, topping)
Crushed nuts (optional, topping)
Chocolate and/or caramel drizzle (topping)

Procedure:

Caramel sauce:
1. Under low heat, melt butter and sugar in sauce pan.
2. Pour condensed milk and bring to a rapid boil, stirring constantly for about a minute or two.
3. Set aside until it has completely cooled down.

While the caramel sauce cools, you might as well prepare the crust.

I prefer mine with some chunks. Gives it a bit of crunch. :)

Pie crust:
1. Mix crushed grahams with melted butter.
2. Pour in a round pan.
3. Using a spoon, create the base of the pie crust first, then onto the sides to make the pie shell.

Prepare the cream cheese frosting afterwards.


Assembly:

1. After creating the pie crust/shell, place sliced bananas on the bottom layer of the pie.
2. Pour caramel over the bananas until about 2/3 of the pie. Make sure it has completely cooled down to avoid having a runny cream cheese frosting as well as to avoid melting the chocolate chips/buttons.
3. Place chocolate chips/buttons over caramel.
4. Pour cream cheese frosting on top, covering the rest of the pie.
5. Top with sprinkles, nuts*, bananas*, chocolate/caramel drizzle*. I made mine with just the sprinkles just to make people believe that I really made it. Haha!
6. Chill for about an hour before serving. Enjoy! :)

A step-by-step guide in photos.

Merry Christmas!!! :D