Vanilla Bean Banana Pudding
If you don't have a vanilla bean, use 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste or just use vanilla extract.
Servings 10
Cost 5
Ingredients
- 1 whole vanilla bean or omit and use vanilla bean paste
- 2 cups whole milk
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 large egg yolks beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup whipping cream or 1 tub Cool Whip
- 2-4 tablespoons powdered sugar (optional)
- 12 oz package Nilla Wafers
- 5 large bananas
Instructions
- Scrape out inside of vanilla bean and put scrapings in a large (2 cup) glass measuring cup. Add the milk and microwave for 2 to 3 minutes to scald – keep an eye on it. You don’t want it to boil over. If using the paste, you can skip the step of scalding the milk.
- Put the egg yolks in a bowl and set next to the stove.
- Combine flour, sugar and salt in a heavy saucepan. Whisk in vanilla milk and set over medium heat; continue whisking over medium heat until mixture is very hot. Whisk about ¼ cup milk mixture into egg yolks, then gradually add egg yolk mixture to saucepan, whisking all the while. Continue whisking until mixture is thick and coats spoon – this should only take a minute or two.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Stir in vanilla extract. Pour into a bowl and let cool to room temperature.
- Beat whipping cream to stiff peaks. Fold half of whipped cream into vanilla mixture. If you used Cool Whip, just fold half of the tub into the cooled pudding mixture.
- Assemble pudding. Line a dish with Nilla wafers. If using jars, put a wafer or two at the bottom of each little jar. Slice bananas and cover Nilla wafers with banana slices. Spoon half of the pudding mixture over bananas. Repeat, layering Nilla wafers, banana slices and remaining pudding.
- Sweeten remaining whipped cream with as much powdered sugar as you like, then spoon over top. Break some Nilla Wafers in half and arrange them around the perimeter to make a little border.
- Chill for a few hours or until ready to serve.