Classic banana pudding

The Classic Banana Pudding is the quintessential Southern American comfort dessert! It’s famous for its layers of vanilla wafers, sliced bananas, and rich, creamy vanilla custard, often topped with fluffy meringue or whipped cream.

While there are quick versions using instant pudding, the true classic (often called Old-Fashioned) uses a rich, homemade custard base. I will provide the recipe for the Homemade Custard version, as it offers the best depth of flavor.

🍌 Classic Southern Banana Pudding (Homemade Custard)

This recipe is sized for a $9 \times 13 \text{ inch}$ ($23 \times 33 \text{ cm}$) baking dish.

I. Ingredients

Component	Quantity	Notes
Vanilla Wafers (Nilla Wafers)	$1 \text{ box}$ ($\sim 300 \text{ g}$)	The traditional cookie of choice.
Bananas	$5-6 \text{ medium}$	Ripe, but not overly ripe. Sliced about $1 \text{ cm}$ thick.
Whole Milk	$850 \text{ ml}$ ($\sim 3 \frac{1}{2} \text{ cups}$)
Large Egg Yolks	$6 \text{ large}$	For richness and thickening (save the whites if making meringue!)
Granulated Sugar	$200 \text{ g}$ ($\sim 1 \text{ cup, divided}$)
Cornstarch (or Flour)	$60 \text{ g}$ ($\sim \frac{1}{2} \text{ cup}$)	Cornstarch creates a smoother texture.
Salt	$\frac{1}{4} \text{ tsp}$
Unsalted Butter	$1 \text{ tbsp}$
Vanilla Extract	$1 \frac{1}{2} \text{ tsp}$

Optional Topping (Meringue or Whipped Cream)

• Meringue: $6 \text{ Egg Whites}$ (from the yolks above), $1 \text{ tsp Cream of Tartar}$, $130 \text{ g}$ ($\sim \frac{2}{3} \text{ cup}$) $\text{Sugar}$.
• Whipped Cream: $2 \text{ cups}$ $\text{Heavy Cream}$, $2 \text{ tbsp}$ $\text{Powdered Sugar}$, $1 \text{ tsp}$ $\text{Vanilla}$.

II. Instructions

1. Make the Homemade Custard

1. Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
2. Temper Eggs: In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the egg yolks with $\frac{1}{2} \text{ cup}$ of the milk until smooth. Whisk in the sugar/cornstarch mixture.
3. Heat Milk: Gradually whisk in the remaining $3 \text{ cups}$ of milk. Place the saucepan over medium heat.
4. Cook & Thicken: Stir constantly with a whisk or heatproof spatula. This is crucial to prevent the eggs from scrambling! Cook for about $5-8 \text{ minutes}$ until the mixture thickens significantly and a few slow bubbles break the surface.
5. Finish Custard: Remove from heat and immediately whisk in the butter and vanilla extract until the butter is melted and fully incorporated.

2. Assembly

1. Prep Dish: Use the $9 \times 13 \text{ inch}$ baking dish.
2. Layer 1: Place a single layer of vanilla wafers over the bottom of the dish.
3. Layer 2: Arrange about half of the sliced bananas in an even layer over the wafers.
4. Layer 3: Pour half of the still-warm (but not hot) custard over the bananas and spread gently, ensuring the bananas are covered (this helps prevent them from browning).
5. Repeat: Repeat the layers: remaining vanilla wafers, remaining banana slices, and the remaining custard.

3. Topping (Choose One)

• Whipped Cream: Beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until medium peaks form. Spread it over the cooled pudding.
• Meringue (Traditional Southern):
  1. Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy.
  2. Gradually add the sugar while continuing to beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form.
  3. Spread the meringue over the warm pudding, making sure it touches the edges of the dish (to prevent shrinkage).
  4. Bake at $180^\circ\text{C} / 350^\circ\text{F}$ for $7-10 \text{ minutes}$ until the meringue is beautifully golden brown.

4. Chill

• Cool: If using meringue, let it cool completely on the counter before chilling.
• Refrigerate: Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least $4 \text{ hours}$, or ideally, overnight. This allows the wafers to soften and the flavors to fully meld.

Enjoy this comforting classic!

Would you like a recipe for the Magnolia Bakery version, which uses instant pudding and sweetened condensed milk for a thicker, no-bake filling?