Banana Pudding
Sweet and creamy, this Banana Pudding is a classic. Nilla wafers are layered with a from-scratch vanilla pudding, lightened with a bit of whipped cream, and slices of not-too-ripe banana. Everything softens for a perfect, spoonable bite. Yields: 10-12 servings
Servings
10-12servings
Cook Time Passive Time
15-20minutes 6-10hours
Servings
10-12servings
Cook Time Passive Time
15-20minutes 6-10hours
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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!
Recipe Notes

*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. 

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