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Scoop of chilled banana pudding with crushed wafer topping served on a white plate for a party

Southern Banana Pudding With Silky Homemade Custard

Silky stovetop custard, soft vanilla wafers, and fresh banana slices, layered and chilled, then finished with whipped cream.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chilling Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 8 About 1 cup
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, American-style baking
Calories: 440
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the custard
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 teaspoons alcohol-free vanilla extract or the seeds from 1 vanilla bean
For the layers
  • 40 Nabisco Nilla wafers about 5 ounces, divided
  • 4 medium ripe bananas sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 1 pound peeled)
For the whipped topping
  • 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
  • 3 tablespoons powdered sugar

Equipment

  • 3 quart heavy-bottomed saucepan
  • Balloon whisk
  • Fine-mesh strainer
  • Fine-mesh strainer
  • Electric hand mixer and medium bowl

Method
 

  1. Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in the saucepan. Whisk in the egg yolks until a thick paste forms, then add the milk a splash at a time until the liquid is smooth and pale yellow.
  2. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly and scraping the corners, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the custard coats the back of a spoon and a finger line holds.
  3. Keep whisking as it bubbles and cook 1 full minute more, until thick and glossy with slow bubbles breaking the surface and above 160°F.
  4. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and vanilla until melted. Strain into a bowl, press plastic wrap onto the surface, and cool for 20 minutes, until the bowl feels warm instead of hot and no skin forms.
  5. Spread 1 cup of custard in the dish and press in 16 wafers in one layer. Arrange half the bananas on top, overlapping slightly, and spoon over another cup of custard until no yellow shows.
  6. Add 16 more wafers, the remaining bananas, and the remaining custard, smoothing it to the edges. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, until a wafer yields to a spoon like soft cake.
  7. Beat the cold cream and powdered sugar on medium high for 2 to 3 minutes, until stiff peaks stand upright.
  8. Spread the cream over the chilled pudding, crush the last 8 wafers on top, and serve cold, scooping straight down through every layer.

Notes

Use bananas that are yellow with a few brown freckles, and cover every slice with custard.
Cook the custard a full minute after it bubbles. The USDA safe minimum for egg mixtures is 160°F.
Storage: refrigerate up to 3 to 4 days in an airtight container. Do not freeze.