Saturday, July 19, 2014

Banana Pudding

If you live in the South, you will have been served Banana Pudding, at one time or another.   Whether you ate it or not, depends on whether you like pudding, or bananas or anything that mixes up the trinity of ingredients that makes up a Banana Pudding. Banana Pudding

I did say trinity, didn't I?
Well, for a good banana pudding, you need three things.
 
Banana's
Nilla Wafers
Custard or Vanilla Pudding

Just those three.

Of course I like to top my pudding with whipped cream, but then again I love whipped cream. 

OK, so it's four things you need. 

To start with, make your favourite custard or vanilla pudding.  Personally I like custard, and I make it with my Bird's Custard Powder.  It takes a little while, but I feel it's so worth it.   I'm going to give World Market a plug here, cause that's where I find it on a consistent basis, but I've also found it at Publix as well. 
I inveigled my sister into making the custard, while I got some stuff done.  I was orchestrating the Low Country Boil that day, so I didn't  feel bad asking her to do that.

I just love my family. 

The basics of using Bird's Custard Powder is to add two tablespoons custard powder to two tablespoons sugar and mix it with two tablespoons cold milk.  Then add a pint of hot milk to that and stir it well, heat to boiling and it thickens quite well. 
For this Pudding we did 6 cups of milk, which is just about 3 pints of milk. (and here's a big hint. Heat the milk in the microwave first, then add it it to the cold slurry you just made with the custard powder, milk and sugar. Speeds up the process, and less chance of scorching the milk.  Which is a very good thing.)
Take it off of the stove, put a piece of plastic wrap or something over the top to keep a 'skin' from forming, and let it cool just a tad. 
You don't want to break the bowl as you begin to layer your pudding.  Especially when it's a pretty one like this.  I like to layer the custard while it's still warm, almost hot.  It seems to soften the Nilla wafers much better.
Banana Pudding
Spoon about a half to a cup of custard on the bottom of your serving bowl, then place a layer of Nilla Wafers and on top of that a layer of bananas.


Banana Pudding
Ladle some custard over top, and repeat until you have as many layers as you want.  Or until you almost run out of custard.
Banana Pudding
Reserve at least a cup of custard for the top.   Set into the fridge for at least 6 hours, although if you make this the night before, it gets even better.
Just before serving, whip up some cream and place on top.
Banana Pudding
Serve with a generous hand.

Recipe  Banana Pudding     serves a dozen people.
6 cups prepared custard or Vanilla Pudding if you prefer
4-5 bananas, sliced
1 box of Nilla Wafers (you actually won't use the whole box, but use as much as you want.)
1 pint whipping cream, whipped and sweetened just a tad.

Layer the first three ingredients in a pretty serving bowl, and top with the whipped cream. 
Serve and eat and enjoy.

This dessert can also be made with fewer layers, or more custard if you like.

It is your dessert after all.






Sidsel Munkholm - Author
Sidsel Munkholm - Author

Sid loves to cook, feed people and have fun in the kitchen. She shares her successes and the involuntary offerings she sometimes gives the kitchen goddess as well. And she's still looking for the mythical fairy to help her clean the kitchen after a marathon cooking session. Currently working on a cookbook showcasing the recipes from her Danish heritage.

No comments:

Post a Comment

I love to hear from my readers, so please feel free to drop me a note, let me know if you like something I made, it makes my day.