Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie

Adapted from Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, epicurious.com.

Serves 8-10.

Vanilla Wafer Crust:

6 ounces vanilla wafer cookies

6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch cubes

2 tablespoons sugar

Vanilla Pudding Filling:

½ cup sugar

2 ¼ tablespoons cornstarch

1/8 teaspoons salt

1 ½ cup heavy whipping cream

¾ cup whole milk

3 large egg yolks

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1 ½ tablespoon unsalted butter

5-6 firm but ripe bananas, divided

Peanut Butter Layer:

5 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

For vanilla wafer crust:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine all ingredients in processor; blend until mixture resembles moist crumbs, about 1 minute. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter deep pie dish and press mixture onto bottom and up sides (not rim) of dish. Bake crust until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven; press crust down with back of spoon if puffed. Cool crust completely.

For vanilla pudding filling:

Whisk sugar, cornstarch, and salt in heavy medium saucepan until no lumps remain. Gradually whisk in cream, then milk. Add yolks and scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; whisk to blend. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until pudding boils and is thick, about 10-15 minutes. Add butter and stir until melted. Strain if desired. Thinly slice 4 or 5 bananas on the diagonal and arrange in an overlapping layer on bottom of cooked pie crust. Pour warm pudding over bananas and spread evenly. Chill until filling is cool, about 1 hour.

For peanut butter layer:

Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar in medium bowl until smooth. Beat in vanilla, then peanut butter. Beat cream in another medium bowl until firm peaks form. Fold a large spoonful of whipped cream into peanut mixture to loosen, then fold in remaining cream in 2 additions. Spread peanut butter layer evenly over custard/banana layer. Chill at least 3 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

Thinly slice remaining banana on diagonal. Arrange banana slices around top edge of pie and serve.