Have you ever had banana pudding? I had never tried it until I moved to Birmingham, AL. One of our favorite BBQ spots served it for dessert–it was the ONLY dessert. It’s pretty much a Southern institution and once you try it, you’ll know why–it’s absolutely creamy and delicious! And if you’re a banana lover–this will be your jam.
And who says that dessert can’t provide nutrients? This pudding is loaded with potassium, a mineral we could all use more of.
Creamy Banana Pudding
Makes 10 servings
For the pudding:
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon, plus 2 teaspoons corn starch
11/4 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11/2 cups vanilla whole milk yogurt
To assemble:
2 large bananas, mashed
3 large bananas, sliced
1 loaf brioche or pound cake, sliced
whipped cream, for serving
- Whisk the egg in a small heatproof bowl and set aside. In a saucepan, combine the sugar and cornstarch and set over medium-high heat. Gradually whisk in the milk, a little at a time. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
- Slowly pour half of the hot milk mixture into the bowl with the egg, stirring to temper the egg. Pour the egg-milk mixture back into the remaining milk in the pan; whisk. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes, whisking until thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Transfer to a bowl and cover the surface directly with plastic wrap. Chill for 45 minutes, then fold in the yogurt.
- Spread a layer of the mashed bananas into the bottom of a medium glass bowl or trifle dish. Top with 1/2 cup of the pudding. Next layer 4 slices of the brioche or cake over the pudding. Top with a layer of sliced bananas, then repeat, ending with the sliced bananas.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. Scoop a large spoonful into a dessert glass, top with whipped cream, if desired, and garnish with a few slices of banana. Dive in!