Banana Pudding

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Banana pudding doesn't ask for much. The beloved Southern dessert, like so many other classic Southern dishes, keeps things simple. Vanilla pudding, sliced bananas, and fluffy meringue or whipped cream—these are the pillars upon which banana pudding is built. But this homemade banana pudding recipe says "I know you have that vanilla pudding packet in the pantry, but why not try it from scratch this time?"Just a few extra ingredients and minutes of prep, and you've made banana pudding in its purest, most decadent form. Ripe for riffs, this banana pudding recipe is only the beginning. Once mastered, try your hand at some of our modern takes on the classic confection, such as the creamy Banana Pudding Cheesecake and the whimsical Banana Pudding Poke Cake.Pile the homemade pudding into a dressed-up trifle dish or individual ramekins, then add a few festive garnishes like vanilla wafers and sliced bananas, too. This banana pudding is ready to party.

Prep Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
50 mins
Yield:
8 servings

Ingredients

  • cup all-purpose flour

  • Dash of salt

  • 2 ½ cups 1% low-fat milk

  • 1 (14-oz.) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk

  • 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 3 cups sliced ripe bananas

  • 48 reduced-fat vanilla wafers

  • 4 egg whites

  • ¼ cup sugar

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325°. Combine flour and salt in a medium saucepan. Gradually stir in 1% milk, sweetened condensed milk, and yolks, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 8 to 10 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.

  2. Layer 3 banana slices, 3½ Tbsp. pudding, and 3 vanilla wafers in each of 8 (1-cup) ramekins or ovenproof glass dishes. Top each with 6 banana slices, 3½ Tbsp. pudding, and 3 vanilla wafers.

  3. Beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Add sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves (2 to 4 minutes). Spread about ½ cup meringue over each pudding.

  4. Bake at 325° for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Let cool 30 minutes.

    Banana Pudding
    Jennifer Davick

Chef's Notes

Note: An 8-inch square baking dish may be substituted for glass dishes. Arrange 1 cup bananas on bottom of dish. Top with one-third pudding mixture and 16 vanilla wafers. Repeat layers twice, ending with pudding. Arrange remaining 16 wafers around inside edge of dish, gently pressing wafers into pudding. Spread meringue over pudding, sealing edges; bake 20 to 25 minutes; cool as directed.

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