BUTTERSCOTCH BANANA PUDDING PIE

Two of my favorites are combined in the 2013 Southern Living Recipe and Photo..

• 74 vanilla wafers (1 [11-oz.] package), divided
• 1/2 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
• 1/2 cup butter, melted 
• 2 (1.4-oz.) chocolate-covered toffee candy bars, finely chopped
• 2 large ripe bananas, sliced 
• Butterscotch Filling (see recipe below)
• 4 large egg whites 
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Pulse 44 vanilla wafers in a food processor 8 to 10 times or until coarsely crushed. (Yield should be about 2 cups.) Stir together crushed wafers, pecans, and butter until blended. Firmly press on bottom, up sides, and onto lip of a lightly greased 9-inch pie plate.
• 2. Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack; sprinkle candy bars over crust. Cool completely (about 30 minutes).
• 3. Arrange bananas over candy bars. Prepare Filling, and spread half of hot filling over bananas; top with 20 vanilla wafers in a single layer. Spread remaining hot filling over wafers. (Filling will be about 1/4 inch higher than crust.)
• 4. Beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves. Spread meringue over hot filling, sealing edges. Insert remaining 10 vanilla wafers halfway into meringue around outer edge of pie.
• 5. Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven to a wire rack. Cool completely (about 1 hour). Chill 4 to 6 hours or until firm.

Butterscotch Filling:

3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/8 tsp salt

6 large egg yolks

2 cups milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

In a heavy saucepan, whisk together the sugar, flour and salt. When whisked together well, whisk in the egg yolks and milk until blended.

Cook mixture over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, for 10 to 12 minutes or until it resembles a chilled pudding-like thickness. (Mixture will just begin to bubble and will be thick enough to hold soft peaks when the whisk is lifted.) Remove from the heat; stir in the vanilla.