Ruby's Banana Pudding
The banana pudding I was raised on A Deep South recipe Mom passed this recipe on to my wife in our early years of marriage Great recipe it has never suffered by being passed to later generations It has always tasted the same
The banana pudding I was raised on A Deep South recipe Mom passed this recipe on to my wife in our early years of marriage Great recipe it has never suffered by being passed to later generations It has always tasted the same
- Carbohydrate 62.0334221133292 g
- Cholesterol 52.63 mg
- Fat 11.4196903832658 g
- Fiber 2.38795684214727 g
- Protein 5.80144699298198 g
- Saturated Fat 3.61793206898784 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (189g)
- Sodium 175.152756487838 mg
- Sugar 59.6454652711819 g
- Trans Fat 0.880228999999999 g
- Calories 367 calories
Step-by-step
- Scald milk in the top of a double boiler.
- In another bowl, combine beaten egg yolks, 2/3 c. sugar, salt and corn starch.
- Pour about 1/2 cup of the scalded milk over the egg mixture and stir well to temper the eggs.
- Return egg mixture to the remaining milk.
- Cook, stirring until mixture is smooth and thickened (Thicken to the texture you want in the pudding. Needs to be thick enough to not run when pudding is served, but thin enough to be absorbed by the vanilla wafers.)
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Arrange layers of wafers and bananas with the pudding in a 9 X 13 inch baking dish, glass (Pyrex type) preferred)
- Allow to cool.
- Heat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Beat egg whites until thick but not dry.
- Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar gradually, continue beating until meringue is very stiff and glossy.
- Brown in oven until meringue is browned, approximately 15 minutes.
- Watch it carefully.
- It will go from not brown to way over brown in a very short time.
Building the Custard Base
Unlike commercial pudding mixes that rely on chemical thickeners, traditional Southern-style banana pudding uses a stovetop custard thickened with a combination of cornstarch and egg yolks. Scalding the milk in a double boiler prevents scorching the dairy proteins against direct heat. Whisking half of that hot milk directly into the beaten yolks—a process known as tempering—gradually raises the temperature of the eggs without curdling them into scrambled bits. Cook the resulting mixture until it reaches a consistency thick enough to hold its shape on a spoon, yet fluid enough to soften the surrounding cookies over time.Layering and Structural Integrity
Glass baking dishes, specifically standard 9x13-inch Pyrex vessels, allow visibility through the sides to monitor the distinct strata of vanilla wafers, sliced fruit, and custard. Stacking these components requires a balance between moisture absorption and structural collapse. Bananas exposed to ambient air brown rapidly due to enzymatic oxidation, but coating the slices within the warm pudding layers minimizes discoloration. Allow the assembled base to cool completely before applying the topping so the structural integrity of the pudding remains firm under the weight of the meringue.The Meringue Finish
High-heat baking transforms whipped egg whites into a toasted, glossy cap. Set the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit to brown the exterior quickly while preventing the underlying custard from overheating and breaking. Whip the reserved whites until soft peaks form, then incorporate the remaining sugar gradually to stabilize the protein foam. Monitor the baking process continuously during the final 15-minute window, because high-heat meringue transitions from golden brown to burnt in seconds.
