REAL OLD-FASHIONED BANANA PUDDING

SERVING SIZE: 8 | PREP TIME: 20 MINS | COOKING TIME: 5 TO 10 MINS

This recipe was given to me by my friend, Terry Floyd, about 30 years ago. It was his grandmother Elsie’s. I have to tell you, I am a banana pudding snob. I will only settle for the real thing, with custard. I have friends who make a lovely version with instant pudding and cool whip. It’s beautiful and everyone loves it, but I have to have the real thing! It takes a little more time, but, oh well, it’s so worth it. I cook this every year around Christmas time or for my birthday, which is the 27th. I have been known to eat the whole pan in one sitting. You can’t beat it!

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 3 egg yolks

• 1 cup Carnation evaporated milk

• 1 cup half and half

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 1⁄4 stick (4 tablespoons) butter

• 1⁄2 box vanilla wafers

• 5 ripe bananas, sliced like coins

MERINGUE

• 1 tablespoon cream of tartar

• 3 egg whites

• 1⁄4 cup sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
   

2. Combine sugar and flour in a medium saucepan.
   

3. In a separate bowl, combine egg yolks, milk, and half and half. Pour milk mixture into sugar and flour.
   

4. Stir over low heat and bring to a boil. Boil until mixture is quite thick. Stir in vanilla and butter.
   

5. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square Pyrex dish with vanilla wafers and sliced bananas. Pour mixture over and set aside.

MERINGUE

1. Beat cream of tartar with egg whites until half stiff.
   

2. Add sugar and mix until very stiff.
   

3. Gently spread mixture over custard and bake for 2 to 4 minutes. Watch closely to prevent burning. Remove when tips of meringue are brown. I usually double this recipe for a 9 x 13-inch glass casserole dish.

NOTE: Another variation is to mix crushed pineapple, which has been drained, with the custard instead of the bananas.