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The Best Homemade Banana Pudding Recipe

The Best Homemade Banana Pudding Recipe

Classic Southern banana pudding made with cooked vanilla custard, vanilla wafers, fresh bananas, and your choice of meringue or whipped cream. The pudding serves about 8 people in an 8-inch square or 2-quart dish.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 3 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Vanilla Custard
  • 3/4 cup Granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup All-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon Table salt
  • 3 Large egg yolks
  • 2 cups Whole milk
  • 3 tablespoons Unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Assembly
  • 11 ounces Vanilla wafer cookies
  • 4 Medium ripe but firm bananas
Optional Meringue
  • 3 Large egg whites
  • 1/4 teaspoon Cream of tartar
  • 1/4 cup Granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Alternative Topping
  • 1 1/2 to 2 cups Sweetened whipped cream or stabilized whipped cream

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Whisk the sugar, flour, and salt together in a medium saucepan. Add the egg yolks and whole milk, then whisk until the mixture is smooth.
  2. Cook the custard over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens and begins to gently bubble. Continue cooking for about 1 minute after thickening, then remove the pan from the heat.
  3. Stir in the butter and vanilla extract. For an especially smooth custard, pour it through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl.
  4. Arrange a layer of vanilla wafers in an 8-inch square or 2-quart dish. Add a layer of banana slices and about one-third of the warm custard.
  5. Repeat the wafer, banana, and custard layers, finishing with custard on top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably 4 hours.
  6. For meringue, beat the egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add the sugar and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, then beat in the vanilla.
  7. Spread the meringue over the chilled pudding, taking it all the way to the edges. Bake at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned, then cool before serving.
  8. For whipped cream, spread 1 1/2 to 2 cups over the chilled pudding shortly before serving. Garnish with wafer crumbs or reserved whole wafers.

Notes

Choose bananas that are sweet and ripe but still firm. Assemble several hours ahead for softened wafers, but serve within about 24 hours for the best banana and cookie texture.