Gluten-Free Banoffee Pie

The Carnation classic, made gluten-free with a GF digestive base. Sweet, rich, properly indulgent.

> Adapted from the Carnation classic banoffee pie, made gluten-free by swapping the digestive biscuit base for gluten-free digestives. Carnation's classic uses a biscuit base, homemade condensed-milk caramel, bananas, whipped cream and chocolate.

Ingredients

Gluten-free biscuit base

• 200g gluten-free digestive biscuits
• 80g butter, melted

Caramel layer

• 75g butter
• 60g dark brown soft sugar
• 397g tin condensed milk (not evaporated milk)

Banana layer

• 2–3 ripe bananas, sliced (2 for less banana-heavy, 3 for a fuller layer)

Cream topping

• 300ml whipping or double cream
• Optional: ½ tsp vanilla

Finish

• Dark chocolate, grated or shaved, or cocoa powder (80% minimum to offset the sweetness)

Method

1. Gluten-free base

1. Grease and line the base of a 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin.

2. Crush the gluten-free digestives into fine crumbs.

3. Mix with the melted butter until the crumbs look like damp sand.

4. Press firmly into the tin, covering the base evenly.

5. Chill for 20–30 minutes while you make the caramel.

GF biscuits can be more fragile and sandy than wheat digestives. Press the base down firmly with the back of a spoon or a flat-bottomed glass so it holds together.

2. Caramel

1. Put the 75g butter and 60g dark brown soft sugar into a heavy-based non-stick saucepan.

2. Heat gently, stirring all the time, until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.

3. Add the condensed milk.

4. Bring to a rapid boil for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until thick and golden.

5. Pour the caramel over the chilled biscuit base.

6. Cool, then chill for at least 1 hour, until firm.

Do not walk away from the caramel. It catches quickly. Keep stirring, especially around the edges of the pan.

3. Bananas

1. Once the caramel is cold and firm, slice the bananas.

2. Arrange in an even layer over the caramel.

Add the bananas close to serving if possible. They brown over time and release moisture into the cream.

4. Cream

1. Whip the cream until soft peaks form.

2. Add vanilla (or a tiny amount of icing sugar) if using.

3. Spoon over the bananas. Keep it slightly rustic — not perfectly smooth.

Don't overwhip. It should be thick and spoonable, not stiff or grainy.

5. Finish

1. Sprinkle shaved/grated dark chocolate (or cocoa powder through a sieve) over the cream.

2. Chill until serving.

3. Remove carefully from the tin and transfer to a plate.

Timing

• Base — can be made the day before
• Caramel — best made at least 1 hour ahead
• Bananas — add close to serving
• Cream — add same day
• Finished pie — best eaten same day

Gluten-free notes

• Use proper GF digestives, not oat biscuits unless certified gluten-free.
• The base may need slightly less butter if the biscuits are very fine or oily.
• Chill well before slicing — GF crumb bases crumble more easily if rushed.
• A loose-bottomed tin is important. Makes the pie much easier to remove cleanly.
• Darker chocolate (80%+) helps balance the sweetness of condensed-milk caramel and bananas.

Variations

• Salted caramel — pinch of flaky salt stirred into the caramel before pouring.
• Espresso banoffee — 1 tsp instant espresso powder dissolved into the caramel.
• Chocolate base — swap half the GF digestives for GF chocolate biscuits.