There’s a background story to this Banana Pudding
Recipe. When my Dad was alive, he’d make
THE BEST southern-style, homemade banana pudding. I mean the best! I would watch him make it, and eventually
when I was old enough I would help him make it.
One evening, after coming home and thinking about him, I
told myself I’d try my hand at making his banana pudding. Listen, I only had two bananas, no milk, but
I did have heavy cream, and I didn't have vanilla wafers. I still tried it anyway. I wound up making two personal-size banana
puddings, one of which I shared with my Mom.
I wanted her to taste it because out of everyone, she would definitely
know if I hit the mark with recreating my Dad’s banana pudding. Fast forward to after my Mom tasted it… She
loved it! Even though it was missing the vanilla wafers, she said it was
good. Check this out, home girl went and
bought Vanilla wafers to put in it! I
was cracking up! The vanilla wafers did
make the banana pudding officially taste like my Dad’s. I
guess all of my watching and helping paid off?
Some people use instant vanilla pudding to make their banana
pudding or custard. My Dad made his from
scratch. He also used to add smashed
ripened bananas to the pudding in addition to the banana slices. Talk about yummy! My Dad loved butter, so there was a lot of
that, too! His banana pudding was rich,
and delicious. Surely something to put
you in the hospital LOL.
Here’s the recipe… Daddy, I hope it lived up to yours. I think I actually did better LOL!
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| Whisking the custard over medium-low heat |
Ingredients
- 3 -
cups of Milk (you can also use 1 ½ cups heavy cream + 1 ½ cups milk)
- 1/4 -
cup of All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 -
cup of Sugar
- 3 -
Eggs, separated
- 1 -
teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
- 1 -
box of Vanilla Wafers
- 4-6 -
ripe Bananas, sliced
Meringue
- 1/8 -
teaspoon of Cream of Tartar for the Meringue, if needed
- 1/4 -
cup of Sugar for the Meringue, if needed
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Separate 3 eggs, set the whites aside for later use in the
meringue.
- Add 3 cups of milk to a medium saucepan. Place over LOW heat
on your stovetop.
- Slowly add flour, whisking continually to avoid lumps.
- Slowly stir in 1/2 cup of sugar, whisking continually until
fully dissolved.
- Use a fork and break up the egg yolks.
- Slowly add the egg yolks to the saucepan, whisking
continually to avoid making scrambled eggs. It's very important to stay with
the cooking process at this point. Keep stirring.
- Increase the heat gradually up to about medium as you
constantly whisk the pudding mixture.
- Using a candy thermometer, bring the mixture up to 170
degrees. Continue to stir it constantly as it thickens. When it reaches 170
degrees, remove from heat but continue to stir.
- Add the teaspoon of Vanilla Extract and continue to stir off
and on as it cools down.
- Place the custard in a blender (I used my Vitamix) to ensure it is smooth.
- The custard must cool down before you begin to
assemble the banana pudding.
- When fairly cool, spread a light layer of the custard/pudding in a
casserole dish.
- Add a layer of Vanilla Wafers. Reserve about 5 or 6 wafers
for topping later.
- Add a layer of sliced bananas.
- Add a layer of custard/pudding, spreading it out to the
edges of the dish.
- Repeat the layer process as needed, ending with a layer of
the pudding mixture on top.
- Crumble the 5 or 6 reserved wafers and sprinkle on top.
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| Sprinkle as much brown sugar on it as you'd like |
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| Place it in the oven & brown that meringue! |
Meringue:
- Place the room temperature egg whites in a glass or metal
mixing bowl.
- Using a mixer or whisk, beat the egg whites until they appear
frothy in texture. (I used my KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer)
- Add about 1/8th teaspoon of Cream of Tartar.
- Increase mixer speed and beat until the egg whites form soft
peaks.
- Add the sugar. Continue to whip, increasing speed as needed
until the egg whites thicken and form firm peaks. Do not over work the egg
whites as it will cause them to lose volume.
- Use a spatula and gently spread the meringue over the
pudding mixture.
- Gently dab the spatula up and down in the meringue to form
small swirls and peaks.
- Sprinkle brown sugar on top (if you want to get fancy)
- Place the dish in the preheated 350 degree oven and bake for
10 to 15 minutes. Watch it carefully so the egg white meringue doesn't burn. It
just needs to be slightly toasted and browned.
- Remove from oven, let cool, refrigerate until cold then
serve. ( I like to eat mine warm)
- Enjoy!
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