banana cream pie in a jar

Peel 1 banana. Use chef’s knife to slice banana into ½-inch-thick circles.

In large bowl, whisk sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt until smooth and pale yellow, about 1 minute.

In medium saucepan, combine half-and-half and sliced banana. Place saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally with rubber spatula, until mixture comes to a simmer, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn off heat.

Use ladle to measure ½ cup hot half-and-half mixture into liquid measuring cup (ask an adult for help). Slowly pour into egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly.

Pour warm egg yolk mixture back into saucepan with half-and-half mixture. Return saucepan to medium heat and cook, using rubber spatula to stir gently but constantly, until mixture begins to bubble and is thickened and pudding-like, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat and carefully slide saucepan to cool burner.

Place fine-mesh strainer over medium bowl. Use rubber spatula to scrape custard into fine-mesh strainer (ask an adult for help—saucepan will be heavy and hot). Gently stir and press custard through strainer (do not try to force banana pieces through strainer). Discard solids.

Add butter and vanilla to custard and whisk until butter is melted. Lay sheet of plastic wrap directly on surface of custard. Place bowl in refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.

Place cracker pieces in zipper-lock plastic bag. Press out as much air as possible from bag and seal bag. Use rolling pin to gently crush graham crackers into crumbs. Place 1 tablespoon crumbs in bottom of each jar.

Peel remaining banana. Use chef’s knife to slice banana into ½-inch-thick circles. Use clean rubber spatula to divide chilled custard evenly among jars. Top each jar with whipped cream, banana slices, and remaining graham cracker crumbs. Serve.