# Banana Cream Pie Failure

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-cream-pie-failure/294368>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [March 13, 2005, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-cream-pie-failure/294368 "2005-03-13T20:36:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2005, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-cream-pie-failure/294368/1 "2005-03-13T20:36:55Z")

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Spotting the spotted bananas in the corner of the kitchen, we decided to make banana cream pie. Short story - sounded good, tasted good, looked awful. We had banana cream soup.

What went wrong? Using the Betty Crocker directions, we blind-baked a crust, sliced bananas into the crust, then poured over the basic custard filling. On that, went the meringue, and into the oven.

The custard turned to soup and the meringue also came out odd - it looked like cauliflower - pebbly, rather than smooth.

Tasty, but we needed spoons rather than forks.

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**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2005, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-cream-pie-failure/294368/2 "2005-03-13T21:37:00Z")

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Did you let the crust _completely_ cool?  
The first time I made banana cream pie that was my downfall. Also, baking it with the meringue on the unbaked custard probably didn’t help. The custard needs to set.

I’ve taken to using [this](http://pie.allrecipes.com/az/77345.asp) recipe. No baking, no fuss. I have made it with a meringue- let the pie cool completely in the fridge, then made the meringue. However, in my family meringue is reserved for lemon and key lime pies.

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**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-cream-pie-failure/294368/3 "2005-03-14T01:54:25Z")

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I think they were fully cool, down to room temp. I was using glass pans, and they were certainly cool enough to pick up bare handed.

As for meringue on unbaked custard, that’s what Betty said to do. Oh well. Better luck next time, I hope!