Baked Banana Pudding

 

 

 

I've never been a fan of pudding or banana desserts (I'm more of a carrot cake and pecan pie kind of guy).  The gf found this recipe a few months ago - its simple to make, it will make you a fan of banana / pudding desserts, and looks impressive.  The pudding only needs 5 whisked ingredients (egg yolks, sugar, flour, half and half, and vanilla extract) and the meringue topping consists of egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar.       

Ingredients

3 - Ripe Bananas (Peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds)

1 tbsp - Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

1/2 cup - Sugar, plus 2 tbsp

1/3 cup - Flour

1/4 tsp - Kosher Salt

4 - Large Eggs (separated)

2 cups - Half-and-Half

1/2 tsp - Vanilla Extract

45 - Vanilla Wafers (Nilla)

1 pinch - Cream of Tartar

1) Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2) Toss the banana slices and lemon juice in a small bowl and set aside.

3) In a sauce pan, combine 1/2 cup of the sugar, the flour and salt. Add the egg yolks and whisk to combine. Add the half-and-half and carefully whisk to combine. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly for 10 minutes. The mixture will begin to thicken and bubble around the edges. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract.

4) In an oven safe glass pan, spread a small amount of the pudding in the bottom. Cover with a layer of vanilla wafers, followed by a layer of banana slices. Pour 1/3 of the remaining pudding on top of the bananas and repeat, ending with a layer of pudding.

5) In a bowl with a hand mixer, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and continue whisking until stiff peaks form. Spoon the meringue over the warm pudding, being sure to cover the edges. Bake until the meringue is evenly browned, about 9 minutes. Remove the pudding from the oven and cool for 15 minutes before serving. Cool completely before refrigerating. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.