Authentic Southern Banana Pudding Recipes

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.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large saucepan, combine sugar and flour. Stir in milk until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. , Remove from heat. Stir a small amount of hot milk filling into egg yolks; return all to pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat; gently stir in butter and vanilla. , In an ungreased 8-in. square baking dish, layer a third of the vanilla wafers, bananas and filling. Repeat layers twice., For meringue, beat egg whites, vanilla and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff peaks form. Spread evenly over hot filling, sealing edges to sides of dish. Bake until meringue is golden, 12-15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack 1 hour. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

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.