Black Bottom Banana Coconut Cream Pie -- The Sweet That Follows Sunday

November 2021. Fall in Memphis, and I am 62, walking the neighborhood in my light jacket, watching the leaves turn on the oaks and maples that line Deadrick Avenue. The smoker is happy in fall — the cooler air holds the smoke lower, keeps it closer to the meat, and the results are always a shade better in October than in July, as if the season itself is a seasoning.

Charlie in Nashville, thriving in the way Charlie thrives — quietly, competently, with the determination of a Johnson woman and the grace of something uniquely hers.

Smoked turkey wings this week — big, meaty, brined and rubbed and smoked at 275 for three hours until the skin crackled and the meat pulled clean. Turkey wings are the working class of BBQ: cheap, underrated, and transformed by smoke into something extraordinary. Uncle Clyde served them on Fridays at his stand, and I serve them on Saturdays in my backyard, and the tradition bridges the gap between then and now.

Sunday at Mt. Zion, the choir sang and I sat in my pew and let the music hold me. The bass notes I used to add are quieter now — my voice is aging, the way everything ages — but the listening is its own participation, and the church holds me the way the church has held this community for a hundred years: faithfully, unconditionally, with room for everyone who shows up. I show up. That is enough.

After Mt. Zion, I come home to something sweet — it’s part of the ritual, as old as the pew I sit in. This Black Bottom Banana Coconut Cream Pie is the kind of dessert that makes sense after a Sunday like that one: built in layers, each one settling into the next with patience, the chocolate holding the bananas holding the custard the way a community holds its people. I make it for whoever shows up, and in my house, somebody always does.

Black Bottom Banana Coconut Cream Pie

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 55 minutes + 4 hours chilling | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 9-inch pie crust, pre-baked and cooled
• 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (for chocolate layer)
• 3 ripe bananas, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 4 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream (for topping)
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• Extra banana slices and toasted coconut for garnish

Instructions

1. Make the chocolate base. Heat 1/2 cup heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Pour over the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and let sit 2 minutes, then stir until completely smooth and glossy. Pour into the baked pie crust and spread evenly across the bottom. Refrigerate for 20—25 minutes until firmly set.
2. Layer the bananas. Arrange the banana slices in a single, even layer over the set chocolate. Press them gently so they lie flat and cover the surface. Return to the refrigerator while you prepare the custard.
3. Cook the coconut custard. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the coconut milk, whole milk, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks until smooth. Set over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble, about 8—10 minutes. Do not walk away — this custard sets up fast once it turns.
4. Finish the custard. Remove the pan from heat. Add the butter and vanilla and stir until the butter is fully melted and the custard is silky. Pour immediately over the banana layer in the pie crust and smooth the top with a spatula. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight for best results.
5. Whip the topping. When ready to serve, beat the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar together with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium-high until stiff peaks form, about 3—4 minutes.
6. Top and garnish. Spread or pipe the whipped cream over the chilled pie. Scatter toasted coconut over the top and arrange a few fresh banana slices around the edge. Slice and serve cold.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 530 | Protein: 7g | Fat: 33g | Carbs: 55g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 175mg