Gourmet Banana Pudding Recipes

Steps:

• For the crust:
• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Place the vanilla wafers in a food processor and pulse until the crumbs resemble coarse meal. Add the melted butter and sugar and pulse until the cookie crumbs are evenly moistened. Press the mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie tin.
• Bake the crust until set and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
• For the filling:
• Cover and chill the egg whites. In a medium saucepan, combine the cornstarch, milk, cream, egg yolks, and 1 cup of the sugar. Cook over medium heat, whisking continuously, until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Do not leave the custard unattended while whisking because the egg yolks will cook and make the mixture grainy. Whisk in the butter, vanilla, and salt. Pour the custard into the baked crust and chill for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
• When ready to assemble the pie, preheat the oven to 375°F.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the egg whites and the cream of tartar. With the mixer on high speed, gradually add the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and whisk until stiff peaks form.
• Arrange the banana slices in a single layer over the custard. Top the banana slices with the vanilla wafers. Spread the meringue over the wafers, covering the entire pie.
• Bake until the meringue is light brown all over, about 10 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, then chill for at least 20 minutes before serving.
• Chef's Tip: The secret to making custard pies is controlling the heat of the stove: it should be intense enough to advance the cooking process but not so hot that it scorches the custard.

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, beat pudding mix and milk 2 minutes. Blend in condensed milk until smooth. Stir in vanilla and fold in whipped topping. Layer wafers, bananas and pudding mixture in a glass serving bowl. Chill until serving.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Make the pudding according to the directions on the box. Arrange the wafers, sliced bananas, and pudding in layers in a 2-quart casserole, ending with a layer of pudding on top. This will make 3 layers. Spread the meringue gently over the top. Bake for 15 minutes.

Steps:

• Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.
• Combine 2 cups of the milk with the vanilla bean and reserved seeds in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, place over medium heat, and bring to a low boil. Remove from the heat and discard the vanilla bean.
• Whisk together the egg yolks and 1/2 cup of the sugar in a large bowl. Combine the remaining 1/4 cup milk with the cornstarch and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt in a small separate bowl and stir to dissolve the cornstarch. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the egg mixture.
• Stir a small amount of the heated milk into the yolk mixture to temper the eggs. Whisk the yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the milk mixture, place over medium-low heat, and cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl, and add the butter and rum, stirring until the butter melts.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Cover the bottom of the prepared dish with one-third of the wafers. Arrange half the banana slices in a layer over the wafers and cover with half the pudding. Place another third of the wafers on top of the pudding, followed by the remaining bananas and the remaining pudding. Arrange the remaining wafers in a ring around the edges of the dish, inserting them halfway into the pudding.
• Place the egg whites, cream of tartar, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a glass or metal bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and frothy. Increase the speed to high and beat to soft peaks. Slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating constantly, until the whites are shiny and hold stiff peaks, about 3 minutes. Do not beat the whites past this point or they will separate and become grainy.
• Spread or pipe the meringue on top of the pudding with a spatula or pastry bag and tip, making sure to cover the pudding completely to prevent the meringue from shrinking when baked. Form peaks by repeatedly drawing a knife or spatula across the meringue and then in an upward motion, or by piping with a pastry bag and ending with an upward motion.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the tips of the meringue are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
• Banana Pudding Sliders
• Makes about 2 dozen sliders.
• Place 24 vanilla wafers on a rimmed baking sheet. Place about 1 teaspoon of the pudding on top of each wafer. Top each with a slice of banana and another vanilla wafer to make a sandwich. Add a swirl of the meringue on top of the sandwich. Bake for about 5 minutes, until the tips of the meringue are golden brown. Remove from the oven, let cool, and serve.
• Sara's Swaps
• One of the bakers at Foster's Market used to make this banana pudding with broken cookie bits rather than the usual vanilla wafers. It had never occurred to me to do it that way, but it was delicious. Give it a try with pieces of Sweet and Salty Pecan Shortbread (page 364) or Molasses Ginger Crinkles (page 365) and see for yourself.

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar and both milks. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Turn the heat to low.
• Add the egg yolks and flour to the pan. Stir until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool.
• In a large, clear ovenproof bowl or other serving dish, layer half of the cooled custard, then half of the vanilla wafers, then half of the bananas. Repeat the layers. Top with crumbled vanilla wafers. The pudding may also be topped with a meringue, if desired. Set the dish aside.
• Preheat the oven to broil.
• For The Meringue
• Pour the reserved egg whites into a large mixing bowl. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Top the pudding with this meringue. Place the bowl on a lower rack under the broiler and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the meringue browns. Remove the pudding from the oven and enjoy.

Steps:

• In 1 quart bowl whisk pudding and 1 cup milk.
• Stir in sweetened condensed milk.
• Fold in sour cream, cool whip, and bananas.
• In a 9x13 pan put a layer of wafers.
• Pour on pudding.
• Sprinkle crushed wafers on top.
• Refrigerate couple hours.
• Enjoy.

Steps:

• To make the pudding:
• Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside. Bring the milk to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from the heat and whisk a little at a time into the egg mixture. Once the bottom of the bowl is warm, slowly whisk in the remaining hot milk. Pour the mixture back into a clean medium saucepan (cleaning the saucepan prevents the pudding from scorching), add the banana liqueur, and whisk over medium-low heat until it thickens, about 2 minutes. Cook while constantly whisking until the pudding is glossy and quite thick, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer the pudding to a clean bowl.
• Add the vanilla and butter and gently whisk until the butter is completely melted and incorporated. Press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for 4 hours.
• To make the crumble:
• While the pudding sets, heat the oven to 325°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Place the wafers in a resealable plastic bag and seal (make sure there is no air in the bag prior to sealing). Using a rolling pin or a flat-bottomed saucepan or pot, crush the vanilla wafers until they're coarsely ground. Transfer them to a small bowl and stir in the sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Use a spoon to evenly stir in the melted butter, transfer to the prepared baking sheet, and toast in the oven until brown and fragrant, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. (The crumbs can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature or frozen for up to 2 months; re-crisp in a 325°F oven for 6 to 7 minutes if necessary.)
• To serve:
• Slice the bananas in half crosswise and then slice in half lengthwise so you have 4 quarters. Slice the banana quarters crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces and divide between 6 custard cups or martini glasses (sprinkle with a squeeze of lemon juice if you like-this helps prevent browning). Whisk the pudding until it is soft and smooth, about 30 seconds, and then divide it between the custard cups. Top with the vanilla wafer mixture and serve. (If not served immediately, the pudding will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, with plastic wrap intact. Sprinkle the crumbs on just before serving.)