Banana Pudding
Creamy layers of vanilla custard, Nilla wafers and sliced bananas topped off with meringue for classic banana pudding. This recipe is straight off the box on Nilla wafers and is the best!!True banana pudding is a little labor of love, but so worth it! Making the vanilla pudding homemade is so much better than using those artificially flavored banana pudding packets. The only "hard" part is making the custard which does require constant stirring over the double broiler so it doesn't burn. Other than that, it's a pretty easy, delicious dessert that's perfect for the summertime!
What you need:
Bananas
Nilla Wafers
Sugar
Eggs
Flour
Milk
Vanilla
What is a double broiler?
The recipe calls for the milk, flour, some sugar and the egg yolks to be cooked over a double broiler. Most people don't have a double broiler, but it's very easy to make one in your own kitchen. Just take a medium sized pot and fill the bottom with water, a couple inches. Then take a glass bowl and sit it on top of the pot. The heat from the boiling water will slowly cook the ingredients in the glass bowl and the custard will form!
About the custard
It takes about 15-20 minutes of constant stirring for the custard to get thick enough. You will know it is thick enough when you take a spoon with custard on it, wipe your finger across the back and a clean line appears. Pro tip: Double or make one and a half of the custard. I personally don't think the original recipe makes enough custard and it can always use some more! I also add as many Nilla wafers as I can because they are my favorite part : )
Nilla Wafer Banana Pudding
Layers of creamy vanilla custard, sliced bananas and Nilla wafers topped with meringue.
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/3 cup flour
3 eggs, separated
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 box Nilla wafers
4 bananas, sliced
In a double broiler, mix the milk, 1/2 cup sugar and salt over medium heat (you want the water in the double broiler to be boiling). Mix in the 3 egg yolks and stir constantly for 15-20 minutes until thickened. It is ready when you wipe your finger over the back of a spoon and the custard leaves a line. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
Spread a small amount of custard on the bottom of a casserole dish. Cover with a layer of wafers and then a layer of sliced bananas. Repeat custard, wafers and banana layers until you run out and end with a custard layer. Set aside.
Meringue: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks begin to form. Mix in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar until combined. Spoon on top of the custard and spread evenly across the top.
Bake for 15 minutes until the meringue begins to brown on the top. Top with more Nilla wafers and serve cold or room temperature.
