Gluten Free Caramelized Sainsburys Fairtrade Banana Cream Pie Recipe

Sweet caramelized Fairtrade bananas top rum-infused mascarpone cream with mashed bananas. It's all sitting on a crisp shortcrust pastry base and drizzled with rum glaze!

Serves 6 to 8

  Caramelized Sainsburys Fairtrade Banana Cream Pie

This banana cream pie recipe is a modern and ethical take on a traditional dessert. It's made with Sainsbury's Fairtrade bananas, rum, rum extract and loads of cream and mascarpone in celebration of Fairtrade Fortnight. When the good people at Sainsburys supermarket approached me about developing a banana recipe I knew that I wanted to create something that the majority of people would enjoy. And since everyone loves dessert and since over 5 billion bananas are eaten in the UK a year, this recipe should catch a few people's eye!

According to organizers, this year's Fairtrade banana campaign seeks to make bananas fair by ensuring that banana farmers "earn enough money to have a decent standard of living, works in conditions that are safe and has rights and benefits." The campaign also helps to ensure that bananas are produced in an environmentally-sustainable way, too.

The use of Fairtrade bananas in this recipe ensures that banana farmers receive a fair wage for their product and although I was asked to develop a recipe in light of this campaign, Fairtrade is a cause that I proudly support and have done for some time.

Notes on the recipe

• The rum in the glaze doesn't cook out, so if you're planning on making this dessert for children, replace the rum with half the amount of rum extract instead.
• All of the bananas Sainsburys sells are Fairtrade! 
• Fairtrade Fortnight runs from 24 February to 9 March; for more information on the campaign and Fairtrade in general, head to the Fairtrade website.

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Ingredients:

For the rum glaze
1 cup icing sugar
4 tsp Sainsburys dark rum

For the cream pie
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp rum extract
1 pack gluten free shortcrust pastry
1 cup mascarpone
2 bunches (about 10) small Sainsburys Fairtrade bananas
2 tbsp hot water
2 cups whipping cream, whipped
55g hot water
butter

Love pastry and desserts? Here's some you don't want to miss:

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Instructions:

Caramelized Sainsburys Fairtrade Banana Cream Pie

1. Roll out the pastry and let come to room temperature for about 30 minutes, or according to the instructions on the packet. Preheat the oven to 180.
2. Once the oven is to temperature and the pastry is ready, blind bake for 10 minutes.
3. Whip the whipping cream until it is a fluffy consistency.
4. Fold in the mascarpone and rum extract.
5. Chill in the fridge.
6. Remove the baking beans from the shortcrust pastry and continue to bake about 5 to 10 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
7. Slice 6 of the bananas in half and then into diagonal segments.
8. Tip the brown sugar, vanilla and water into a nonstick pan and bring to the boil.
9. Once a caramel begins to form, add the bananas and shake the pan to coat the bananas in the caramel. Continue to cook until bananas are golden. Finish with a knob of butter. Turn off heat and leave the caramelized bananas in the pan.
10. Spoon the cream mixture onto the cooled pastry. Top with the caramelized bananas.
11. Whisk the icing sugar with the rum until it is smooth and a glaze has formed. Working quickly, drizzle the glaze over the pie--it sets quickly. 
12. Refrigerate at least two hours before serving and store in the fridge for freshness.

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Ginger Peach Doughnuts with Twinings Peach Tea Glaze 

Sticky Toffee Cupcakes with Pumpkin Buttercream 

Fresh Cherry & Buttered Almond No-Churn Ice Cream