Upside-down pie? Yes, pie. Not cake, but pie. It may look like a cake but that’s a crust that you see. Traditional sweet pastry crust with flour, butter, sugar and a little salt. No eggs. Paradise banana? Yes. Let me explain. This recipe has two stories and the Paradise banana part is only half of it.
We were at the SM Hypermarket at the Mall of Asia two weekends ago buying Sam’s milk, juice, cereals and cereal bars for the next five days. She stays in a dorm near the university and, for convenience, she keeps a supply of breakfast items. Speedy saw some strange looking very green bananas labeled Paradise Plant. We asked the attendants how the Paradise Plant bananas are prepared and we were told that they are good for making banana chips before they are ripe. Oh, like saba bananas, Speedy remarked. Better, they replied. Curious, we bought a bunch of four Paradise Plant bananas.
For the next several days, everyone was too busy and the Paradise Plant bananas were just lying on the fruit basket. The green skins turned yellow-green and, some ten days after we bought them, the skins had turned bright yellow. I had lost interest in them and, more than once, I wondered whether I should throw them out. The supermarket attendant did say they were best cooked as banana chips before they were ripe. What was I supposed to do with them after they had ripened?
Earlier this afternoon, hovering between sleep and wakefulness while suffering the extreme humidity, I chanced upon an episode of Surfing the Menu on the Travel & Living Channel. An old episode, actually, because Curtis Stone was still in it. And he made an apple pastry that woke me up. This upside-down pie is based on that apple pastry. Curtis Stone’s recipe used puff pastry; I used my recipe for sweet pie crust.
What is this upside-down Paradise banana pie like? It doesn’t taste like a pie despite the fact that the base is a pie crust. It’s something between a shortcake and a scone — soft and moist at the center but, underneath, it is wonderfully crisp. And the Plantation Plant bananas? Oh, they were gorgeous. I only used two pieces to make my pie so I have two more to make another.
Ingredients
- For the topping:
- 1/3 c. of butter
- 1/4 c. of white sugar
- 2 Plantation Plant bananas
- For the crust:
- 1 c. of all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. of salt
- 4 tbsps. of white sugar
- 1/3 c. of cold butter
- about 1/4 c. of iced water
Instructions
- In a saucepan, melt the butter. When melted, sprinkle the sugar and cook over medium heat until amber (light brown) in color. Do not cook for too long or the syrup will taste bitter. Pour the syrup into an eight-inch round baking pan. Never mind if you can see brown bits separating from the oil. None of that will matter.
- Peel and slice the bananas and arrange on the syrup-coated bottom of the baking pan.
- Make the crust.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and sugar. Cut the butter into small pieces and work into the flour until the mixture is crumbly. Pour in the iced water, a tablespoonful at a time, while mixing until the mixture forms loose lumps.
- Pour the crust mixture into the baking pan and press with your hands to form and semi-compact crust. DO NOT press too hard or the syrup will seep through the dough.
- Bake the pie in a preheated 350oF oven for 30 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.
- As soon as the pie is out of the oven, place an inverted plate over it then invert the pie onto the plate.
- Serve warm with coffee or tea. Delicious.
Preparation time: 20 minute(s)
Cooking time: 30 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 8
Ms.Connie, nde na po ako nag white sugar since my GDM (Diabetic during pregnancy) muscovado sugar na ang gamit namin. Should i add more o less than the recipe? thanks again Ms. Connie!
The same, I think, although your syrup will be darker.
This looks good…really good! Esp. with some coffee-flavored ice cream too
hi, when you say butter, is it supposed to be unsalted? also how do you measure salt if my salt is iodized? thanks!
Yes, unsalted butter.
Re salt: With a measuring spoon, of course.
re salt how do i measure iodized salt cos i know its a different measurement if your recipe calls for standard rock salt.
also, i have some lakatan bananas, can i use the instead?
What makes you think I used rock salt?
You can lacatan bananas but I don’t know how it’ll turn out.
Am guessing regular saba can be used also? What other fruits will work with this recipe?
Yes, ripe saba. And apples, I guess. Basta fruits without too much water and which can retain their shape.
oh so you use iodized salt pala
Very rarely does a baking recipe call for rock salt, actually. Sea salt, sometimes, but refined salt is the kind most often used.
hi,connie!!!!it’s been a long time since i last visited your blog.wow,so many new recipes to try and oh so yummy to look at!!
i’ll try to look for this variety of banana when i do my grocery-shopping at sm hypermart in fairview.looks more yummy than using pineapple rings…..
salamat uli for another wonderful recipe,connie!!!!
Hi Connie, How does ripen paradise banana taste like? Is it sweet? I bought some green ones from supermarket last month and probably because the weather’s cold here they’re still green (just a hint of yellow spottings here and there) after a month and they’re still doesn’t have any taste.
Not as sweet as real bananas but, yes, sweetish.
yummy! will try this but i will add mine with langka. i just love he combination of these 2 fruits.
Nice idea! You might want to add bits of nuts too.
This recipe reminds me of Apple Tartin but so much easier. No need to pre-bake the apples before covering with the crust and very very much with “Pinoy” flare. I will try this recipe at my Dad’s birthday dinner next week and if everyone likes it will be on this years Christmas menu too!
Delicious with a dallop of whipped cream or a scoop of your home made ice cream then drizzled with chocolate syrup and topped with nuts…Hay, ang daming possibilities.