Sweet

Southern Banana Pudding

This pudding is from Jake’s childhood, so it tastes like a memory.

I remember it too! And I like what I remember.

Now I don’t have to think that far back because, yesterday, I ate that pudding cup in the back (the one with the red flowers) before dinner. Sometimes dessert first is real life.

There’s never love triangle drama when vanilla pudding, vanilla wafers, and bananas hang out. Don’t even worry about it.

And did you know that vanilla wafers basically turn into cake in this pudding? It’s magical, really.

Oh! These guys have to chill in the fridge for at least 8 hours after assembling. That means you can make this dessert ahead of time, and then feel fancy if you have guests over.

Southern Banana Pudding {serves 6}
Recipe adapted from Classic Southern Desserts via A Sweet Spoonful

Ingredients:

vanilla pudding –

  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup + 1 t flour
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 t vanilla
  • 6 oz. vanilla wafers (about half a box)
  • 2-3 bananas
  •  3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 t vanilla, or 1/2 a vanilla bean scraped
Directions:
  1. Whisk the milk and egg yolks in a heavy saucepan. Add sugar, flour, and salt and whisk together until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 20 minutes or until thickened. Feel free to add another teaspoon of flour if it’s not thickening up to your liking. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.*
  2. Assemble the puddings in one dish or 6 small dishes. For one small serving dish layer 1/3 of the vanilla wafers, followed by one banana, and 1/3 of the pudding, repeating until custard is gone. For 6 single-servings divide and layer like I did in a bunch of ramekins, or juice glasses. I layered like this: 3 vanilla wafers, a few banana slices, pudding, and so on. Some of the glasses fit additional layers.
  3. Cover each glass with plastic wrap pressing it onto the surface of the pudding; chill for 8 hours before serving. This allows the vanilla wafers to absorb the goodness and become cake-like.
  4. When ready to serve, beat whipping cream , powdered sugar and vanilla together until soft peaks form. Spread or pipe over over custard. Serve!
* At this point do not attempt to dunk your finger in the pudding to taste it. It’ll burn you! I know from experience.
Sure! I’ll stir pudding for 20 minutes for you.

15 thoughts on “Southern Banana Pudding”

  1. I am slowly coming to like bananas after turning my nose up at them for many years. This seems like the perfect way to get to know their good side! Especially banofee style. Awesome.

  2. I once had banana pudding with shortbread cookies, it was a pretty good idea. And, you’re right, don’t dip your fingers in molten pudding, or you get burned, I do it every time though! I’m glad we both learn from our mistakes…

  3. I just made the vanilla pudding part of this (laced with creme de bananes) as one of the layers on a banoffee pie, it was devine!

  4. Pingback: Banoffee Pie

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