This Banana Pudding is a classic. A simple dish of vanilla wafers, sliced bananas, and vanilla pudding, there’s something about this dish that makes it absolutely irresistible. We’re talking lick-the-bowl-clean-cannot-get-enough. Sweet and creamy, each spoonful is 100% worth the time it takes for this to properly chill down.
Typically a Southern dessert, it shouldn’t shock anyone that my first time tasting this treat was in New York. I was interning at a theatre and for one of the girl’s birthdays, someone brought in a tub of banana pudding from Magnolia Bakery. It was sweet and delicious. I didn’t have it again until years later when my friend made her own and brought it to a gathering. The combination of vanilla wafers, vanilla pudding, and sliced bananas is just so so good.
I’ve seen a lot of recipes for banana pudding around the internet. From the looks of it, many of them use a pudding mix. I’m not one to shy away from using a packaged mix–I used two packages of pudding mix for my Pudding Cake not too long ago. But for some reason I really wanted to make my own pudding for this recipe. I wanted to make it less of a copycat and my own version. Plus, from-scratch pudding doesn’t take that much longer than making a box of cook-and-serve.
Once the pudding cools, I mix a bit of unsweetened whipped cream through it just to lighten it up a bit. It adds a bit of creaminess that just makes this dish absolutely irresistible. Once the pudding is ready, all you do is layer up Nilla wafers, banana slices, and pudding. Repeat two or three times, ending with a layer of pudding over the top. Spread over some whipped cream and put in the refrigerator to chill. The wafers will soften and the banana will almost melt into the pudding. A scoop of this in a cup might not look the prettiest, but it tastes so darn good!
| Cook Time | 15-20 minutes |
| Passive Time | 6-10 hours |
| Servings |
servings
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- 473 mL whole milk
- 120 grams granulated sugar divided in half
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 egg large
- 40 grams corn starch
- 1 Tbsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 397 grams
- 28 grams unsalted butter cold
- 473 mL heavy whipping cream
- 1 box Nilla wafers 11 oz
- 5-7 bananas not too ripe/slightly green
Ingredients
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- In a large saucepan, heat the whole milk and 60 grams of granulated sugar over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the milk just begins to boil.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and whole egg. Sift the cornstarch and 60 grams granulated sugar into the eggs and whisk until smooth and combined. The eggs will be light in color.
- Temper the eggs by adding the milk a little at a time, whisking after each addition until the milk is fully incorporated into the eggs. Return the mixture to the saucepan and continue to cook over medium heat stirring constantly. The custard will begin to thicken.
- As the custard begins to thicken, mix in the vanilla and the sweetened condensed milk. Continue to stir until the thick custard begins to bubble and boil. Remove from the heat and add the butter, stirring until it fully melts into the custard.
- Using a fine sieve, strain the pudding into a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap touches the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming, and chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours or overnight, until cool.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or in a stainless steel bowl using a hand mixer, whisk the heavy whipping cream on high until stiff peaks form.
- Using a rubber spatula, gently fold half of the whipped cream into the cooled custard until fully incorporated--you won't have any streaks of pudding or whipped cream.* You'll be left with a light pudding.
- In a medium serving dish, begin to layer up your components. You can also do this in individual dishes if desired. Start with a single layer of Nilla wafers, then sliced banana, and a bit of the vanilla pudding. Repeat, ending with a layer of pudding. You should be able to get 2-3 layers of each depending on the size of your bowl. Reserve a couple of vanilla wafers and a banana. Spread over the remaining half of the whipped cream. Refrigerate for 4-8 hours. The chilling time is essential as it allows time for the flavors to meld and for the cookies to soften.
- Before serving, top with slices of banana and some crumbled up wafers. To serve: use a large scoop to spoon the pudding into bowls or cups. Enjoy!
*If you left the pudding to chill overnight, just give it a light beating with a rubber spatula to loosen it up a bit and make it easier to stir.
**You want to make sure the bananas are fully covered by the pudding. If they have too much contact with the air, they might oxidize and start to turn colors. If you're really concerned, you can sprinkle a bit of lemon juice over the slices (not too much as your banana pudding might start to taste like lemon). This is why I wait until serving before adding the additional slices over the top.