Brûléed Banana Pudding Recipe

Prepare starch slurry

In a small bowl whisk the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of the milk until fully dissolved and no lumps remain; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine the remaining milk (about 1 14/oz cup) and the heavy cream over medium heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and the pinch of fine sea salt. Heat until the mixture is steaming and small bubbles form at the edge — do not boil.

While the milk heats, in a separate bowl whisk the egg yolks with the remaining 2 tablespoons of milk (if any) to temper. Slowly whisk about 1/3 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks to raise their temperature, then whisk the tempered yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the cornstarch slurry into the saucepan and continue to cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 3–5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla bean paste/extract.

Pour the pudding into a shallow bowl and cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to prevent a skin. Chill in the refrigerator at least 2 hours until fully set. (Can be made a day ahead.)

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread reserved Nilla wafers (about 1 cup crushed — crush by placing in a zip bag and rolling with a rolling pin) on a baking sheet. Toss with melted butter and brown sugar if using.

Toast in the oven for 6–8 minutes until fragrant and slightly deeper in color. Remove and cool completely. Break into coarse crumbs for layering and garnish.

Chill a mixing bowl and whisk or beaters in the freezer for 10 minutes. Add chilled heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla to the bowl. Whisk at medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 2–3 minutes. Do not overwhip. Refrigerate until assembly.

Slice 2 of the ripe but firm bananas into 1/4-inch rounds. Reserve the 2 bananas halved lengthwise (for brûlée garnish) and one extra banana for extra layering if desired.

In individual serving glasses or a shallow trifle dish, start with a thin layer of pudding (about 2–3 tablespoons), then a layer of Nilla wafers (whole or broken), followed by a layer of banana slices and a sprinkle of toasted cookie crumble. Repeat to build two to three layers, finishing with a final layer of pudding.

Top each assembled serving with a generous dollop (about 2 tablespoons) of fresh whipped cream and a light sprinkle (about 1 teaspoon) of the toasted cookie crumble. Cover and chill for 15–30 minutes to let layers settle before finishing the brûléed banana.

Preheat a small culinary torch. Brush the cut sides of the reserved halved bananas lightly with neutral oil or melted butter to encourage even browning.

Place each banana half on a small sheet or directly on a heatproof surface. Evenly sprinkle about 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar over each exposed cut surface (divide the 3 teaspoons between the two halves).

Using the torch, melt and caramelize the sugar until it is golden brown and crisp, moving the flame continuously to avoid burning, about 20–40 seconds per spot. Allow the caramel to harden slightly, about 1 minute.

Optionally sprinkle a tiny pinch (a pinch = ~1/16 tsp) of flaky sea salt over the brûléed surface for contrast.

Place one brûléed banana half on top of each pudding serving (or slice into 3–4 pieces and fan across the whipped cream). Garnish with extra crushed cookies and a small pinch of flaky sea salt.

Serve immediately so the caramelized banana retains its crisp top. Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 24 hours; the topping will soften with time.