Best-ever banoffee pie recipe
 With its fantastic combination of banana and toffee, banoffee pie is hard to beat. This one has a chocolate biscuit base and is made on the hob rather than boiling the condensed milk in the can for hours. 75g/2½oz butter300g/10½oz chocolate oaty biscuits 75g/2½oz butter 300g/10½oz chocolate oaty biscuits 115g/4oz butter115g/4oz soft dark brown sugar397g/14oz can sweetened condensed milk 115g/4oz butter 115g/4oz soft dark brown sugar 397g/14oz can sweetened condensed milk 450ml/16fl oz double cream5 ripe but firm bananas1 tsp fresh lemon juice25g/1oz coarsely grated plain chocolate or chocolate curls 450ml/16fl oz double cream 5 ripe but firm bananas 1 tsp fresh lemon juice 25g/1oz coarsely grated plain chocolate or chocolate curls Method To make the base, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Break the biscuits into chunky pieces and put in a food processor. Blend into crumbs, then add the melted butter and, with the motor running, blend well. Alternatively, put the biscuits in a strong polythene food bag and bash with a rolling pin. Tip into a bowl and stir in the melted butter.Tip the crumbs into the centre of a deep, 23cm/9in fluted loose-based tart tin or quiche dish and press firmly into the base and sides. Make sure it is evenly distributed, especially where the base meets the sides. Cover and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes, or until set.To make the filling, melt the butter in a medium saucepan, then stir in the sugar. Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, until the butter and sugar look smooth and no oil floats to the surface. Add the condensed milk and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until the mixture turns a deep, creamy caramel brown. Pour the toffee gently onto the biscuit base and quickly smooth the surface. Leave to chill for 1 hour (or up to 8 hours).Just before serving, lightly whip the cream in a bowl. It should stand in soft peaks, any thicker and it will look over-whipped when mixed with the bananas. Peel and diagonally slice four bananas and scatter half of them over the toffee. Fold the rest lightly into the cream and spoon gently on top. Peel and slice the remaining banana and put it in a bowl. Pour the lemon juice over and gently toss (this will stop the banana turning brown). Decorate the top with the lemony banana, poking into the cream randomly, and sprinkle the pie with grated chocolate or decorate with chocolate curls. Serve in fairly thin slices as it is very rich. To make the base, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Break the biscuits into chunky pieces and put in a food processor. Blend into crumbs, then add the melted butter and, with the motor running, blend well. Alternatively, put the biscuits in a strong polythene food bag and bash with a rolling pin. Tip into a bowl and stir in the melted butter. To make the base, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Break the biscuits into chunky pieces and put in a food processor. Blend into crumbs, then add the melted butter and, with the motor running, blend well. Alternatively, put the biscuits in a strong polythene food bag and bash with a rolling pin. Tip into a bowl and stir in the melted butter. Tip the crumbs into the centre of a deep, 23cm/9in fluted loose-based tart tin or quiche dish and press firmly into the base and sides. Make sure it is evenly distributed, especially where the base meets the sides. Cover and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes, or until set. Tip the crumbs into the centre of a deep, 23cm/9in fluted loose-based tart tin or quiche dish and press firmly into the base and sides. Make sure it is evenly distributed, especially where the base meets the sides. Cover and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes, or until set. To make the filling, melt the butter in a medium saucepan, then stir in the sugar. Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, until the butter and sugar look smooth and no oil floats to the surface. Add the condensed milk and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until the mixture turns a deep, creamy caramel brown. To make the filling, melt the butter in a medium saucepan, then stir in the sugar. Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, until the butter and sugar look smooth and no oil floats to the surface. Add the condensed milk and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until the mixture turns a deep, creamy caramel brown. Pour the toffee gently onto the biscuit base and quickly smooth the surface. Leave to chill for 1 hour (or up to 8 hours). Pour the toffee gently onto the biscuit base and quickly smooth the surface. Leave to chill for 1 hour (or up to 8 hours). Just before serving, lightly whip the cream in a bowl. It should stand in soft peaks, any thicker and it will look over-whipped when mixed with the bananas. Peel and diagonally slice four bananas and scatter half of them over the toffee. Fold the rest lightly into the cream and spoon gently on top. Just before serving, lightly whip the cream in a bowl. It should stand in soft peaks, any thicker and it will look over-whipped when mixed with the bananas. Peel and diagonally slice four bananas and scatter half of them over the toffee. Fold the rest lightly into the cream and spoon gently on top. Peel and slice the remaining banana and put it in a bowl. Pour the lemon juice over and gently toss (this will stop the banana turning brown). Decorate the top with the lemony banana, poking into the cream randomly, and sprinkle the pie with grated chocolate or decorate with chocolate curls. Serve in fairly thin slices as it is very rich. Peel and slice the remaining banana and put it in a bowl. Pour the lemon juice over and gently toss (this will stop the banana turning brown). Decorate the top with the lemony banana, poking into the cream randomly, and sprinkle the pie with grated chocolate or decorate with chocolate curls. Serve in fairly thin slices as it is very rich. Recipe tips Make the banoffee pie in a deep tin if possible; if you use a shallow tin you will need a little less biscuit base. Make the chocolate curls by melting plain chocolate and pouring it onto a flat surface. Leave until set, then scrape carefully using a long, sharp knife, held at a slight angle, until the chocolate curls up towards you. Alternatively, run a swivel peeler down the back of a bar of cooking chocolate.