Grandmother always made hers with a towering meringue on top of the pudding that was light as air and the perfect combination with the rich banana pudding. She would ask my sister and me to help make her banana pudding recipe for dessert so many times when we were young girls. It was a request I don’t remember ever tiring of hearing. She would ask one of us to carefully line the glass bowl with the vanilla wafers while the other sliced the bananas. We each had an important job and the banana pudding just wouldn’t work without both of us completing our tasks with care.
Or at least she always made us believe it wouldn’t.
While we were consumed with our duties, Grandmother was busily cooking the pudding on her stovetop. She loved to chat as she cooked, asking us about our day, telling us about when she would help her mother cook, or telling us about a bird she saw when she went to the garden earlier. Her voice was always as sweet and velvety as the pudding she was stirring.
Once we had our vanilla wafers and banana slices layered just as she instructed, she would ask us to step back as she poured the hot pudding over them. Within minutes following, she would have her egg whites beaten to a perfect salute and would be carefully spreading her meringue on top of the pudding. Into the oven it would go for my sister and me to run and stare through the glass door in the oven as the meringue on top of the banana pudding magically browned.
That night for supper, we were anxious for everyone to taste “our” banana pudding because we knew it tasted just as good as Grandmother’s.
And in the morning, we always knew she would have her banana bread waiting on us, too!
Here is her Southern Banana Pudding recipe. I know you’ll love it!
INGREDIENTS :
1/2 c white sugar
1/3 c all purpose flour
pinch of salt
3 eggs, seperated
2 c whole milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 box vanilla wafers
5 ripe bananas, sliced
1/4 c white sugar, for meringue
pinch cream of tartar
Directions :
1. In a double boiler, whisk together 1/2 C. sugar, flour and salt. Add in the milk and cook over boiling water, stirring constantly, until it thickens (about 10-12 minutes). Whisk in the 3 egg yolks and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla.
2. In a 1 1/2 quart casserole, place a layer of the wafers on the bottom, top with a layer of bananas and 1/3 of the custard. Continue repeating for 3 layers, ending with custard.
3. In a bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, gradually adding in the 1/4 C. sugar and cream of tartar. Spoon meringue over the top and place in a 425 degree oven for 5 minutes or until topping is lightly browned. Remove and garnish with more vanilla wafers around the edges. Let cool slightly and serve or refrigerate. (I like mine served warm).
Last Step: Don’t forget to share
