To make the pie crust, in a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the cold butter and cut in with a pastry blender or your hands until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add as much of the ice water as needed to create a shaggy dough that comes together. Wrap in plastic wrap, forming into a disc, and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.

To make the filling, in a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Slowly stir in the milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened and it has come to a boil. Cook for 1 minute.

In a small bowl, temper the eggs by whisking the egg yolks and 1⁄2 cup of the heated milk mixture together. Then pour this into the rest of the milk in the saucepan. Stir rapidly and constantly to prevent the mixture from curdling. Lower the heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened and coats the back of a spoon, about 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Transfer to a bowl, through a fine mesh strainer to remove any lumps. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until cool.

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Roll out the chilled pie dough on a lightly floured work surface to about 1⁄4-inch thick, slightly larger than your pie plate. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate and crimp the edges. Chill in the freezer for 10 minutes.

When ready to bake, use a fork to poke holes throughout the bottom of the pie crust. Top with a sheet of parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the crust begins to turn golden brown, 17 to 20 minutes. Carefully remove the weights and parchment paper and return to the oven to bake for another 5 to 10 minutes or until evenly browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

Once ready to assemble, spread half of the chilled custard filling onto the bottom of the baked and cooled crust. Top with banana slices and then spread the remaining custard on top, spreading out evenly. Chill once more until ready to top.

To make the topping, beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Pipe the cream on top of your chilled pie or spread with an offset spatula. Top with toasted almonds and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight until set, before slicing and serving. Enjoy!