Victory Golden Monkey Recipe

Make dough

In a large bowl or food processor, combine 1.75 cups flour, 2 tsp sugar, and 0.5 tsp salt. Cut in 0.5 cup cold unsalted butter and 0.25 cup cold vegetable shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces. If using a food processor pulse in short bursts to avoid warming the fats.

Sprinkle ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time (about 4 tablespoons total), tossing gently until the dough just holds together when pressed. Do not overwork. Gather dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes while preparing filling.

Roll & fit

On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled dough to a 12-inch circle about 1/8" thick. Transfer to a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan (or similar cast-iron skillet used for 'pies & pints' serving) and gently press into the bottom and sides. Trim excess, leaving a small overhang. Refrigerate crust-lined pan for 15 minutes while you prepare the filling.

Blind-bake (optional but recommended)

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line crust with parchment and pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 12 minutes, remove weights and parchment, and bake 5–7 more minutes until lightly golden. Remove and cool slightly. If you prefer a softer base, you may skip blind-bake and increase total baking time with filling.

Brush the cooled crust edges with the beaten egg to help seal and develop color; return to oven for 2 minutes if needed just to set the wash.

Prepare banana mixture

Peel and mash 4 medium ripe bananas in a bowl until mostly smooth with a few small chunks for texture. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice to preserve color and brighten flavor.

Make cream-cheese custard

In a separate bowl, beat 8 oz softened cream cheese with 0.5 cup granulated sugar and 0.25 cup light brown sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in 1 large egg, 2 tsp vanilla extract, and 0.5 cup heavy cream until well combined. Add 1 tablespoon flour, 1 tsp ground cinnamon and 0.25 tsp salt; mix until incorporated.

Fold the mashed bananas into the cream-cheese custard gently until even. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed (add up to 1–2 tsp sugar). Pour the filling into the prepared (and slightly cooled) crust, smoothing the top with a spatula.

Make crumble

In a small bowl combine 0.75 cup rolled oats, 0.25 cup flour, 0.25 cup packed light brown sugar, 0.5 tsp cinnamon and 0.125 tsp sea salt. Cut in 3 tablespoons cold butter with a pastry cutter or finger tips until mixture forms coarse crumbs. Stir in 0.25 cup chopped toasted nuts if using.

Evenly sprinkle the crumble over the banana-cream cheese filling.

Bake

Place the pie on the middle rack and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30–38 minutes, or until the filling is set (a slight jiggle in the center is okay) and the crumble is golden brown. If crust edge browns too quickly, shield with foil.

Remove from oven and set on a wire rack. Let cool at least 2 hours to fully set the cream-cheese filling (refrigerate after cooling to room temperature for a firmer set).

Finish & serve

Before serving, drizzle 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup over the top if desired and serve slices with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Keeps covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days.