Serves 6.
Note: The bananas will start to brown if you store the finished dessert overnight, but they will still taste fine. Adapted from Food52.com.
• 2 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. cornstarch
• 1/2 c. sugar, divided
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 2 eggs
• 2 c. milk
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 c. heavy whipping cream
• 5 large, ripe bananas, divided
• 25 pecan shortbread cookies
• 1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for garnish
Directions
To make the pudding, place ice in a large bowl to make an ice bath.
In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch, 2 tablespoons sugar and the salt.
In a medium bowl, whisk eggs until smooth and pale; gradually whisk in cornstarch mixture.
Put milk in a medium saucepan. Put remaining 6 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl.
Split vanilla bean down the middle, scrape out seeds and rub seeds into the sugar with your fingertips to help distribute them. Add sugar and the vanilla bean to the milk and bring just to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Remove vanilla bean and slowly pour the hot milk into the eggs, whisking constantly. Return to saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, whisking continuously, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and whisk in vanilla extract. Set saucepan in the ice bath, whisking occasionally, until cold.
In another bowl, whip cream to soft peaks, then whisk 1/2 cup of the whipped cream into the chilled pudding. Gently fold in another 1/2 cup of the cream. Roughly chop 2 of the bananas and mash them lightly with the back of a fork. Fold bananas into pudding. Gently fold in a little less than half of the remaining whipped cream. Cover and chill both pudding and remaining whipped cream.
Put the cookies in a zipper bag and gently whack them with a rolling pin or mallet until crumbled into medium to small chunks. Set aside some of the finer crumbs in the bottom of the bag for garnish and stir nutmeg into the larger chunks.
To each of 6 pretty glasses or Mason jars, add a layer of cookie crumbles, a layer of pudding, a layer of sliced bananas (use about a quarter of a banana for each layer) and then a thin layer of the reserved whipped cream. Repeat layers, and then top with a sprinkle of fine cookie crumbs and a dash of grated nutmeg. Cover and chill at least 2 hours before serving.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories830Fat48 gSodium340 mg
Carbohydrates91 gSaturated fat22 gCalcium184 mg
Protein12 gCholesterol163 mgDietary fiber5 g
Diabetic exchanges per serving: ½ milk, 2 fruit, 1 bread/starch, 2 ½ other carb, ½ medium-fat meat, 9 fat.
Serves 8 to 10.
Note: This traditional banana pudding recipe comes from Laurie Triplette of hottytoddy.com.
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1/2 c. plus 4 tbsp. sugar, divided
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp. flour
• 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
• 2 c. whole milk
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 4 bananas
• 50 vanilla wafers
Directions
Chill egg whites and a small mixing bowl.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, cream egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar, salt, flour and cornstarch. Beat in milk until blended. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until custard coats spoon and it begins to bubble, about 10 minutes. Stir in vanilla, reduce heat and continue stirring until custard thickens, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Peel and cut bananas into thin slices.
Line bottom of an 8- by- 8-inch baking dish with half the vanilla wafers in a single layer. Spread sliced bananas evenly over the wafers. Spread half the custard over the bananas. Repeat layers.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Beat the chilled egg whites in the chilled bowl on high speed with an electric mixer. Add remaining 4 tablespoons sugar and continue beating until egg whites form stiff, glossy peaks. Spoon meringue over the custard and gently smooth out with a spatula, making sure to seal the meringue to the custard and all pan sides. Use the mixer beaters to create meringue peaks.
Bake in preheated oven 10 to 15 minutes, until meringue is toasted brown on top. Turn off oven and leave pan in oven with door closed 5 minutes, then crack open the door and leave pan in oven about 15 minutes longer. Remove pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Chill about 3 hours before serving.
Nutrition information per each of 10 servings:
Calories250Fat7 gSodium116 mg
Carbohydrates43 gSaturated fat2 gCalcium79 mg
Protein5 gCholesterol62 mgDietary fiber2 g
Diabetic exchanges per serving: ½ fruit, 2 ½ other carb, 1 medium-fat meat, ½ fat.
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