Banana Pudding from scratch

By Hapemom

I found this years ago on Oprah Winfrey’s website. It’s delicious either as vanilla pudding, or the banana version.

Ingredients

• 3 cups milk
• 2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• Pinch of salt
• 6 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut up
• 12 ounces vanilla wafers
• 5 ripe bananas, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Preparation

Step 1

Method:
1. Bring the milk and vanilla beans to a simmer in a medium saucepan over low heat. Using tongs, remove the beans from the milk. Using the tip of a small sharp knife, scrape the tiny seeds from each bean back into the milk.
2. Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the egg yolks and whisk well. Gradually whisk in about half of the hot milk, then pour over the yolk mixture into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the pudding comes to a full boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter until melted. Transfer to a medium bowl. Cover the pudding with a piece of plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface and pierce a few holes I nthe wrap with the tip of a knife. Let stand until tepid, about 30 minutes.
3. Spoon about 1 cup of the pudding into a 2 to 2 1/2 quart glass bowl. Layer the cookies, bananas and pudding in the bowl, ending with the pudding. Cover tightly and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.
4. Whip the cream and confectioners' sugar in a chilled medium bowl until stiff. Spread the whipped cream over the pudding. Serve chilled, spooned into bowls.