Banoffee Pie with Dulce de Leche

Yesterday was rainy and gray, so to brighten our spirits I decided to make a pie.  We talked about different options and then settled on banoffee, which is an English pie traditionally made of bananas, toffee, and cream.  I believe that in traditional recipes you make the toffee or dulce de leche by boiling a can of sweetened condensed milk, but I skipped this step and opted for canned dulce de leche instead.  I believe it is also more traditional to make a cookie crust from English digestive biscuits, but my main pie eating guy requested a regular pastry crust instead so of course I complied.  The end result was delicious, with the lightly sweetened whipped cream perfectly complimenting the rich dulce de leche topped with sliced bananas.  I know this one was a hit because 24 hours after we dug in there is only one slice left, and I may or may not have found someone happily eating pie for breakfast this morning as well.

BANOFFEE PIE WITH DULCE DE LECHE
Recipe from Hannah's Kitchen

INGREDIENTS
1 9-inch pastry shell, cooked and cooled
1 13-14 ounce can dulce de leche
3 large bananas
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1 square semi-sweet chocolate (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Set pastry shell aside. In a small saucepan, heat the dulce de leche until it is smooth. Pour the dulce de leche into the pastry shell and refrigerate until cooled. Once cooled, slice bananas and cover the dulce de leche.

2. In a large mixer bowl with a whisk attachment, beat cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Spread whipped cream over bananas. Grate chocolate over the cream, if desired.

3. Chill at least two hours before enjoying. Pie is best eaten on the day it is made.