salted caramel banana pudding pie

So recently I discovered a new AWESOME Food Network show, Dessert First. In the first episode Ann made Salted Caramel Banana Pudding Pie and I was sold. Here is her recipe below. It is delicious!
I make the caramel sauce the night before and it makes enough for 2 pies, so I save half in the fridge for later or for ice cream topping!

Caramel Sauce:

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream

In a small saucepan, mix the water and sugar togther. Cook until the sugar dissolves, about 5 to 10 minutes. Do not stir. Increase the heat to medium and boil uncovered until the sugar turns a warm chestnut brown--about 5 to 7 minutes and 350 degrees F on a candy thermometer. You really need a candy thermometer to get this right because it can burn QUICKLY past 350 degrees.

Turn off the heat and slowly add the cream. Stir and simmer over low heat, under the sauce is smooth.  Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature.

Next its time to prepare your pie crust and make the homemade vanilla pudding.

To prepare the pie crust, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Put 45 vanilla wafers in a food processor and blend until the cookies are finely crushed. Stir together crushed vanilla wafers and 6 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl until blended. Firmly press it into the bottom, up the sides, and onto the lip of a greased 9-inch pie pan. Bake until lightly browned, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove to a wire rack, and let cool until completely cool.

Vanilla Pudding:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 cups milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Whisk together the sugar and flour until all of the lumps are gone. Then whisk in the eggs, and egg yolks, and continue whisking until a smooth paste is formed. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of milk, and once this is incorporated add the remaining cup of milk. Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and cook over medium heat whisking constantly (I mean this), until it reaches the thickness of chilled pudding, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat, and then stir in the vanilla. Set the pudding aside to cool and prepare to assemble your pie!

Assembly:

• 3 large ripe bananas
• 1 cup salted caramel 
• 1 teaspoon fleur de sel or sea salt
• Vanilla pudding
• Vanilla Waffers

Cut your bananas into slices (preferably aging bananas) and coat those with salted caramel and the 1 tsp salt.

Arrange some banana slices evenly over the bottom of the pie crust. Spread half of the hot, prepared Vanilla Pudding over the bananas, top with vanilla wafers, and more caramel-coated bananas.

Spread the remaining filling over the vanilla wafers, and caramel-coated bananas. I like to refridgerate it overnight or for at least 8 hours before serving so all the flavors can blend together. Then I top with Cool Whip and serve! YUM!

{image courtesy of Food Network}