Nutella Banana Cream Pie

Total Time: Prep: 45 min. + chilling Bake: 20 min. + cooling，Makes: 10 servings

Here’s a banana cream pie with a little Italian flair. The chocolate and hazelnut
go well with the banana, and the rolled chocolate pie crust makes it extra-special.
If you don’t have time to melt and pipe the chocolate stars, just sprinkle the top
of the pie with grated chocolate or cocoa powder instead.
—Crystal Schlueter, Babbitt, Minnesota

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons baking cocoa
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
• 3 to 4 tablespoons brewed coffee, cold
• DECORATIONS:
• 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 teaspoon shortening
• FILLING:
• 1 carton (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese
• 3/4 cup Nutella
• 2 medium bananas, thinly sliced
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons instant banana cream pudding mix
• 2 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts, toasted

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix flour, cocoa and sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Gradually add cold coffee, tossing with a fork until dough holds together when pressed. Shape into a disk; wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim crust to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425°.
3. Line crust with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake on a lower oven rack until set, 15-20 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake until edges are browned, about 5 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
4. For decorations, in a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Transfer to pastry bag with a small round tip. Pipe designs over a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Freeze until set, about 5 minutes.
5. For filling, mix mascarpone cheese and Nutella until blended; spread into crust. Top with bananas.
6. In another bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add pudding mix; beat until stiff peaks form. Spread or pipe with a large star tip over bananas. Sprinkle with hazelnuts. Top with chocolate decorations.

NutritionFacts

1 piece: 578 calories, 46g fat (24g saturated fat), 107mg cholesterol, 147mg sodium, 39g carbohydrate (22g sugars, 2g fiber), 7g protein.