Birthday Chocolate Banoffee Pie

• 1x sweet shortcrust pastry
• 4x ripe bananas
• 100ml milk
• 4x table spoons of caster sugar
• 75g dark cooking chocolate
• knob of butter
• 200ml whipping cream

Firstly, pop the pastry into a preheated oven at 180 degrees for about 5-10mins to catch slightly, because otherwise I find it too soft and doesn't have a nice crunch

Put a small pan on a very low heat and add 50g of the the chocolate, broken up into small pieces. Leave to melt but be very careful not to burn on too high a heat. As Mary Berry says, chocolate melts in a child's pocket, it doesn't need a high heat.  Once the chocolate is almost melted turn off the heat and add the butter, giving it a gentle stir to incorporate.  Pour this into the bottom of the pastry case and smooth out.

Put a medium pan on a high heat and add the sugar, giving it a shake to spread out evenly and leave to melt. Do not stir.

Meanwhile blitz 2x bananas and the milk together until quite smooth

Keep swirling the pan as the sugar melts into caramel, do not stir and DO NOT get this on your skin - it is napalm.

Once the caramel is dark golden and bubbling, pour in the banana milkshake. Careful, as it will spit a little in protest. Immediately stir the mixture, the caramel will go stringy at first but keep stirring and it will blend nicely and caramelise the banana.

Pour this into the pastry case over the chocolate. Smooth down but don't mix too much because this will melt the chocolate.

Pop in the freezer to cool down for 5-10 minutes.

Meanwhile whip the cream until it's just thick enough to sit on top of your pie. They say use a manual balloon whisk but I have no patience for such a thing. I use an electric whisk but be careful to stop when it looks like it's ALMOST done. Then in the split second between deciding it's almost done and actually turning off the whisk, it'll be perfect. If you whisk it for a second longer your cream will be dry and crumbly. Game over.

 Slice up your remaining 2x bananas and scatter these on the pie, keeping a few back for decorating.

Pop your cream on top of the pie. I then have a play with a dash of drinking coco with teaspoon of water to make a chocolaty paste, and doodle with a wooden skewer in the cream. Dash the remaining banana slices on top and grate on more chocolate if you didn't eat it all. Then stick your hands behind your back and bury your face into said pie. This recipe is derived from Jamie Oliver's 30 minute meals. Great stuff.