It’s time for a creamy treat, kids! This was one of my favorite desserts when I was wee, perhaps tied with pistachio pudding out of a box which I just loved, and coming in a close second to bubblegum ice cream from Baskin Robbins which sounds absolutely appalling to me now.
My mom and grandma used boxed pudding mix those many years ago and while I honestly believe that boxed pudding is delicious, it also does have a lot of weird ingredients listed in it, most of which are not “milk, eggs, sugar” which is pretty much all that’s in this homemade vanilla pudding. Pudding which may in fact truly be considered custard, but I’m not from England so I don’t eat that stuff.
I kid. I kid. I’m pretty sure pudding = custard = pudding again.
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 cups milk (I’ve used both whole and 2% with good results)
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened or cut into small bits
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For assembly:
- 1 large ripe banana, peeled and sliced
- about 20-30 vanilla wafer cookies
- Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and cold milk in a pot. Whisk thoroughly until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the egg yolks and whisk again to combine well.
- Add the butter and turn the heat to medium.
- Stir constantly until the mixture just begins to bubble (see video). This will take about 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer another 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- By now it should be thickened. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Set aside.
- Layer half the cookies and half the banana slices in the bottom of a 1½ quart dish (or an 8×8 cake pan).
- Top with half the pudding, more bananas and/or cookies, and the rest of the pudding.
- Top with cookies or lay a piece of plastic wrap right over the top of the pudding and refrigerate for 4-8 hours.
- Add more crispy cookies on top when you serve it.
Oh oh oh! And if you’de like to make your own HOMEMADE VANILLA WAFERS click here. I did so for the photo you see on the post, and they were ever-so-heavenly. In fact, way way way better than Nilla wafers, I thought. But I also understand if two homemade things in one day is too much for you. It was too much for me on the day we shot this video, evidently.
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Learn To Cook is designed to get you cooking for yourself like a civilized human being! Drawing from a lifetime of cooking and over two years experience making instructional cooking videos, author Hilah Johnson has produced a beginners’ cookbook for today’s young adults. The casual, straightforward style will appeal to anyone with a sense of humor and the focus on fresh, simple recipes will appeal to anyone who loves to eat. The book includes chapters on menu planning, knife skills, grocery shopping and more, plus a comprehensive spice chart and over 150 recipes from breakfast to dinner to snacks in between.
I create short-form, educational, and occasionally hilarious cooking videos geared towards beginner and intermediate cooks, as well as people who are just looking for simple, low-cost recipes. Everything is made from scratch, people!
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
I have made this many times, using the egg whites as a meringue. And then I toast it for a few minutes under the broiler. I once ran out of Nilla Wafers, so I broke up a bunch of Oreos and made crumbs and layered it with those. Which was awesomer!
Yumm! I’ve never tried with Oreos, but I’ve often imagined them – like a cookies’n'cream banana split pudding!
I need to put on my big-girl britches and try making a baked meringue some time. I’ve only ever done meringue cookies. Meringue-topped pies and such frighten me.
Clearly, you need help from the Food Porn Emergency Hotline: face your fears and dive in, lady! It’s total ecstasy!
http://tastyinfidelicacies.blogspot.com/2011/09/food-porn-hotline-episode-5-she-delves.html
Yay!!!
I want to taste this yummy homemade banana pudding *now* (but I don’t wanna cook it now, heheh). I’ll keep it in the file.
This is obviously more wholesome than the boxed mix, but you are so brave to admit that you find boxed pudding mix delicious as well. See, I do too, but I didn’t know I could…SAY it. Out loud?? Ahem, “I too find packaged pistachio pudding delicious!”
Free at last! Free at last!
Hahaha! I’m so glad I could help you face your demons and love them anyway, David.
Man, boxed pudding, right?! Especially that pistachio flavor – it just can’t* be duplicated.
*Not that I’ve actually tried to duplicate it. I’m just assuming that artificial pistachio flavoring is impossible to make at home.
I did a little Internet research and all I could find for the home cook is this method for making pistachio paste.
Oh my god, my mom will LOVE this. I have to make it now… Looks so yummy and probably just as good as boxed pudding…though maybe a tad healthier.
Yeah, I think it might be a little healthier, if only because there’s no preservatives!
Hilah,
You are amazing! I think you are hilarious, educational, and essential in my learning process of cooking. Thanks for all your fun and great videos you have. I particuarily follow your vegetrian recipes as I have been vegeterian for the past year(transitioning into vegan) and cant wait to make your bean burgers this week. I cant wait to try this banana pudding one too; looks badass. I hope one day to be able to spread recipes too and do it as entertaining as you do. As a gay latino ameican vegeterian I salute you! Lol.
Signed,
Adrian
Hi Adrian!
Thank you so much for taking the time to write! You’re very kind. I’m glad to help you learn to cook, so let me know how it turns out!
xoh