Mini Banoffee Pies

Banoffee pie, (a combination of the words"Banana" and "Toffee") is a true classic. It also happens to be one of the easiest desserts to make! A little bit of boiling, crushing, slicing, whipping and voila, you have yourself a culinary delight!

Sweetened condensed milk plays an essential role in the making of banoffee pie. After boiling it for several hours the milk caramelizes and turns into a wonderfully rich Dulce de leche. This is the yummy toffee like filling that banoffee pie is known for.

Boiling an unopened can of milk may alarm some people; however, I can tell you that this is a safe and normal part of the banoffee making procedure. Having said that, do use extreme care when doing this. Make sure you completely submerge the can of milk in water. Never let the water evaporate below the can of milk. And keep topping up with water when necessary.

As delicious as this popular pie is, it is known for its "rich" reputation. It's sweetness can be somewhat overpowering. A lot of the time I struggle just to finish a small piece. So, I decided to make baby banoffees! A crisp buttery base with a gooey caramel filling, sliced banana and fresh whipped cream... all in one bite! Perfect!

Try these babies with some freshly brewed coffee. Delicious!

Makes about 15 mini pies, with plenty of leftover caramel for ice cream!

200g Walkers shortbread or any other good quality shortbread
50g butter, melted
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1-2 bananas, sliced
Small carton of heavy whipping cream / Double cream
A good chunk of Cadburys milk chocolate, grated

Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Peel the wrapper from the can of milk and add it (unopened) to the boiling water. Reduce heat slightly to a slow boil. Boil for 2 1/2 hours. Topping up with water when necessary.

Preheat oven to 325F
Crush the biscuits in a food processor into fine crumbs. Add butter and whiz again until well combined.
Press the biscuit mixture into greased mini muffin or tart pans. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes. Allow to cool and then chill until firm.

Whisk whipping cream until nice and thick and refrigerate until needed.

When the milk is ready, remove from the water and allow to cool completely. Once cooled, open and stir well.



Carefully remove tart shells from the muffin pan. Place a small spoonful of the caramelized milk into each tart shell. Top each one with a slice of banana.

Add a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle with chocolate.
Serve immediately or chill for up to 24 hours.