Banana Pudding Recipe

Warm the milk and mix dry ingredients

In a medium saucepan, pour 3 cups whole milk and warm over medium heat until it is steaming but not boiling (small bubbles will form around the edge). In a bowl, whisk together 3 tbs granulated sugar, 1 tbs cornstarch, and a pinch of fine salt until evenly combined.

Temper egg yolks

In a separate medium bowl, lightly whisk 4 large egg yolks. Slowly whisk about 1/2 cup of the warm milk into the yolks to temper them (add in a thin stream while constantly whisking) so the yolks do not scramble. Then whisk the tempered yolks back into the saucepan with the remaining warm milk.

Cook until thickened

Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, whisking constantly. After 2–4 minutes the mixture will begin to thicken. Once it coats the back of a spoon and reaches a pudding-like consistency (about 3–6 minutes), remove from heat. Total time from adding yolks should be about 5–8 minutes to thicken, depending on stove.

Finish custard

Off the heat, whisk in 2 tbs unsalted butter and 2 tsp vanilla extract until smooth and fully incorporated. Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed. If you see any small lumps, press the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl for ultra-smooth texture. Cover surface with plastic wrap directly on the custard to prevent a skin from forming and let cool about 20 minutes at room temperature (it will continue to thicken as it cools).

Prepare bananas and wafers

While the custard cools slightly, slice 4 ripe bananas into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Arrange a shallow layer of vanilla wafers on the bottom of a 9x9-inch baking dish (or a trifle bowl) so the base is mostly covered.

Layering

Spread about one-third of the warm (not hot) custard over the wafer layer evenly. Arrange a single layer of banana slices over the custard, covering as much as possible. Repeat with another layer of wafers, another third of the custard, more banana slices, and finish with the remaining wafers and custard so you have three custard layers and two banana layers (adjust to fit your dish).

Top with whipped cream

Once the final custard layer is added, cover the surface with 1 cup sweetened whipped cream or whipped topping, spreading to the edges to seal in the moisture and give a creamy top layer.

Chill to set

Cover the assembled pudding loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Chilling lets the wafers soften into a cake-like layer and flavors meld.

Garnish and serve

Just before serving, sprinkle 1/2 cup extra crushed vanilla wafer crumbs or chopped walnuts over the whipped topping and optionally arrange a few fresh banana slices on top for decoration. Serve chilled in portions. If stored in the refrigerator, consume within 3 days; banana slices may brown, so add a fresh top layer if desired before serving.