Real Down Home Southern Banana Pudding Recipes

SOUTHERN BANANA PUDDING

Steps:

• Heat 2 1/2 cups of the milk in a large saucepan over medium heat until steaming.
• Whisk 3/4 cup of the sugar, the cornstarch and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk in the egg yolks and the remaining 1/2 cup milk.
• Whisk half of the hot milk into the egg mixture until smooth, and then gradually whisk the egg-milk mixture into the milk in the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture boils. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and let the mixture come to a simmer. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until it has thickened to a puddinglike consistency, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla.
• Layer a third of the pudding, half the banana slices and half the vanilla wafers in a 9-inch square baking dish. Layer with half the remaining pudding, all the remaining banana slices and all the remaining wafers. Top with the last of the pudding. Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly on the pudding surface, and refrigerate overnight to soften the cookies.
• Position a rack in the upper third of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees F. Bring the egg whites to room temperature. Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment on medium speed until frothy. Increase the speed to medium-high, and slowly sprinkle in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar a tablespoon at a time, whipping for 15 seconds after each addition, until glossy firm peaks form. Spread the meringue on top of the pudding with an offset spatula so it reaches the edges of the pan. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve warm or chilled.

AUTHENTIC SOUTHERN BANANA PUDDING

Steps:

• Place a layer of wafer cookies on the bottom of a large glass bowl. Top with a layer of banana slices. Alternate layers, reserving 10 wafer cookies to crumble for topping.
• Mix sugar, flour, and salt together in a saucepan. Slowly whisk in cream, about 1/4 cup at a time. Add milk and butter. Place pan over medium heat. Stir constantly until custard begins to thicken, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat.
• Place egg yolks in a bowl. Whisk a few tablespoons of warm custard mixture into the egg yolks. Add the egg/custard mixture back to the saucepan. Stir over medium heat until custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in vanilla extract. Remove from heat; allow to cool about 20 minutes.
• Pour mixture slowly over the layers of wafers and bananas. Gently shake bowl so custard seeps to the bottom of the bowl. Crumble the remaining wafer cookies and sprinkle over the top.

REAL "DOWN HOME" SOUTHERN BANANA PUDDING

Steps:

• BANANA-WAFER PREPARATION:.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Slice the bananas crosswise into 1/4" thick round slices.
• In a large, oven safe bowl, or in an 8x8x2-inch pan or glass baking dish, line the bottom and sides with a layer of vanilla wafers.
• On top of the layer of wafers, place one layer of bananas. Repeat, alternating a layer of wafers and a layer of banana slices until the bowl or dish is filled to within 1/4 to 1/2-inch below the rim.
• THE FILLING:.
• Separate the eggs, being careful not to nick the yolks. Reserve the egg whites and set aside.
• Combine evaporated milk and water.
• In a large sauce pan, mix flour, sugar, and egg yolks until well blended.
• Mix in milk slowly, stirring constantly.
• Place pan on the range eye and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
• As soon as mixture reaches boiling point, reduce heat to medium, stirring constantly until desired thickness is achieved. Filling should be thick but pourable.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in vanilla extract.
• Immediately pour over wafer-banana layers, jiggling the dish to ensure that filling covers all layers and there are no air pockets.
• THE MERINGUE:.
• TIP - If you do not have cream of tartar, you can use 1/2 tsp of lemon juice as a satisfactory substitute. 1/4 tsp lemon juice = 1/8 tsp cream of tartar.
• TIP - Cold egg whites will not yield as much volume as room temperature egg whites and will take longer to peak.
• Beat room-temperature egg whites with vanilla and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
• Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff and glossy peaks form and all sugar is dissolved.
• Spoon meringue over banana pudding, smoothing the top and sealing it to the edge of the bowl or baking dish.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes, or until meringue is golden.
• Cool to room temperature or chill in refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours before serving.
• Banana pudding's flavor is best the day after it is made.
• 9 Servings.

DELECTABLE SOUTHERN BANANA-PINEAPPLE PUDDING

Steps:

• WAFER-BANANA-PINEAPPLE PREPARATION:.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Open cans of pineapple. Drain the pineapple and reserve 3/4-cup of the juice.
• Slice the bananas crosswise into 1/4" thick round slices.
• In a large, oven safe bowl, or in an 8x8x2-inch pan or glass baking dish, line the bottom and sides with a layer of vanilla wafers.
• On top of the layer of wafers, place one layer of bananas.
• Add another layer of vanilla wafers, then a layer of pineapple.
• Repeat layering pattern to 1/4 to 1/2 inch below the dish's rim. If using an 8x8x2-inch baking dish, there may not be room for two layers of pineapple. If not, combine pineapple and banana on the last banana layer.
• THE FILLING:.
• Separate the eggs, being careful not to nick the yolks. Reserve the egg whites and set aside.
• Combine evaporated milk and water.
• In a large sauce pan, mix flour, sugar, and egg yolks until well blended.
• Mix in milk slowly, stirring constantly.
• Stir in reserved pineapple juice.
• Place pan on the range eye and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
• As soon as mixture reaches boiling point, reduce heat to medium, stirring constantly until desired thickness is achieved. Filling should be thick but pourable. Thickening will happen quickly.
• NOTE: Due to the reaction caused by the pineapple juice, the filling may or may not thicken before it reaches the boiling point, so pay close attention as the filling begins to heat up and approaches boiling.
• Remove from heat as soon as desired thickness is achieved.
• Stir in vanilla extract.
• Immediately pour over wafer-banana-pineapple layers, jiggling the dish to ensure that filling covers all layers and there are no air pockets.
• THE MERINGUE:.
• TIP - If you do not have cream of tartar, you can use 1/2 tsp of lemon juice as a satisfactory substitute. 1/4 tsp lemon juice = 1/8 tsp cream of tartar.
• TIP - Cold egg whites will not yield as much volume as room temperature egg whites and will take longer to peak.
• Beat room-temperature egg whites with vanilla and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
• Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff and glossy peaks form and all sugar is dissolved.
• Spoon meringue over banana pudding, smoothing the top and sealing it to the edge of the bowl or baking dish.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes, or until meringue is golden.
• Cool to room temperature or chill in refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours before serving.
• Banana pudding's flavor is best the day after it is made.
• Makes 9 servings.

DOWN-HOME BANANA PUDDING

Steps:

• Combine sugar and flour with a wire whisk in a heavy saucepan until completely smooth (no flour clumps).
• Whisk in eggs and milk, until thoroughly combined, getting out as many lumps as possible. Add butter (a cold square of butter is fine - it will melt).
• Heat over medium-low heat and stir continuously until pudding reaches a thick consistency. This should take about 30-35 minutes (the pudding should drip off the whisk in individual clumps, not one long string. And, if left unstirred, it will immediately bubble slowly, looking much like "The Bog of Eternal Stench" from the movie Labyrinth).
• Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
• Layer pudding, wafers, and sliced bananas, and end with a pudding layer (I use a 12 cup #4 Rubbermaid tupperware container for this - it fits perfectly).
• Decorate the top with vanilla wafers, if desired.