Banana Pudding

By Patlynn

We opted for half-and-half instead of milk in our Banana Pudding recipe. If we were going to go to the trouble of making this recipe, we wanted it to be rich and creamy. Roasting the bananas intensified their flavor and helped break them down so we could incorporate them more easily into the pudding. Adding a squeeze of lemon juice to the roasted bananas prevented them from browning in the refrigerator. When building the pudding, we used whole cookies, as crushed cookies disintegrated in the finished dessert. We waited until the pudding cooled a little before layering the cookies. Otherwise, the cookies became sodden and pasty.

Ingredients

• If your food processor bowl holds less than 11 cups, puree half the pudding with the roasted bananas and lemon juice in step 3, transfer it to a large bowl, and whisk in the rest of the pudding.
• Ingredients
• PUDDING
• 7 large bananas, slightly underripe
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 8 large egg yolks
• 6 tablespoons cornstarch
• 6 cups half-and-half
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 (12-ounce) box vanilla wafers
• WHIPPED TOPPING
• 1 cup heavy cream, chilled
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Step 1

1. ROAST BANANAS Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Place 3 unpeeled bananas on baking sheet and bake until skins are completely black, about 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes.


2. MAKE PUDDING Meanwhile, whisk 1⁄2 cup sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch in medium bowl until smooth. Bring half-and-half, remaining sugar, and salt to simmer over medium heat in large saucepan. Whisk 1⁄2 cup simmering half- and-half mixture into egg yolk mixture. Slowly whisk tempered yolk mixture into saucepan. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is thick and large bubbles appear at surface, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.


3. PROCESS PUDDING Transfer pudding to food processor. Add warm peeled roasted bananas and 2 tablespoons lemon juice and process until smooth. Scrape into large bowl and place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding. Refrigerate until slightly cool, about 45 minutes.


4. ASSEMBLE AND CHILL Cut remaining bananas into 1⁄4-inch slices and toss in bowl with remaining lemon juice. Spoon one-quarter of pudding into 3-quart trifle dish and top with layer of cookies, layer of sliced bananas, and another layer of cookies. Repeat twice, ending with pudding. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding and refrigerate until wafers have softened, at least 8 hours or up to 2 days.


5. TOP AND SERVE With electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream, sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. (Whipped cream can be refrigerated for 4 hours.) Top banana pudding with whipped cream. Serve.



We Put the Banana Back in Banana Pudding


Most recipes for banana pudding actually use vanilla pudding. We put true banana flavor where it belongs—in the pudding itself—by roasting slightly underripe bananas to make them richer and sweeter, and to break down their fibers.