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Homemade Southern Banana Pudding

Homemade Southern Banana Pudding

Savor the classic taste of Homemade Southern Banana Pudding, a delightful dessert layered with creamy vanilla pudding, fresh bananas, and crunchy Nilla wafers. This nostalgic treat is perfect for any occasion and will surely please your guests!
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

For the Pudding:

  • 1 cup 200 g granulated sugar
  • ½ cup 62.5 g all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3½ cups 854 ml whole milk, divided
  • 8 egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Assembly:

  • 11 oz 311.85 g box vanilla wafers
  • 6 medium bananas sliced ½-inch thick

For the Meringue:

  • 8 egg whites
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1⅓ cups 266.67 g granulated sugar

Instructions
 

Preheat the Oven:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Make the Pudding:

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, and salt.
  • Whisk in ½ cup of the milk and the egg yolks until smooth.
  • In a large saucepan, heat the remaining 3 cups of milk over medium heat, stirring frequently until it simmers.
  • Whisk 1 cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture to temper it, then slowly whisk the egg mixture into the remaining hot milk in the saucepan.
  • Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, and cook for about 3 minutes more, until thickened.
  • Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract until the butter is fully melted.
  • Set the pudding aside to cool slightly while you prepare the other ingredients.

Assemble the Dish:

  • Arrange the vanilla wafers in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. (You can reserve some wafers for garnish if desired.)
  • Top with the banana slices.
  • Pour the pudding through a fine-mesh sieve over the bananas, spreading it evenly into a layer.

Make the Meringue:

  • In a large bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar with a mixer on high speed until soft peaks form.
  • Gradually add the sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form.
  • Spoon the meringue over the pudding, spreading it to the edges of the pan to seal the filling.

Bake the Dish:

  • Bake until the meringue is lightly browned, about 10-15 minutes.
  • If desired, garnish with extra vanilla wafers.

Serve:

  • Let the dish cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Bananas: Avoid using super ripe bananas, as they tend to break down too much while baking and may affect the texture of the dish.
 
Keyword Homemade Southern Banana Pudding