Description
Sweet Southern caramel banana pudding weaves layers of creamy comfort with nostalgic cookie crunch. Silky smooth custard and ripe bananas create a delightful dessert where you’ll savor each spoonful of pure Southern hospitality.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2.75 cups whole milk
- 3 large egg yolks
- 3–4 ripe bananas, sliced
- 1 box (11 ounces) vanilla wafers or extra cookies
Sweeteners and Thickeners:
- 0.5 cups granulated sugar
- 0.33 cups cornstarch
- 1 cup caramel sauce (store-bought or homemade)
Flavor Enhancers and Toppings:
- 0.25 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Whipped cream (for topping)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, blend granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt into a uniform mixture, creating a smooth dry base for the pudding.
- Gradually introduce milk while whisking continuously, ensuring no lumps form in the developing custard mixture.
- Heat the liquid over medium temperature, stirring consistently until the mixture transforms into a thick, bubbling consistency, approximately 10-15 minutes.
- Carefully temper egg yolks by slowly incorporating a small portion of the hot pudding into them, then gently reintroduce the warmed yolk mixture back into the main saucepan.
- Continue cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes, maintaining constant movement to prevent scorching and achieve a silky texture.
- Remove from heat and integrate butter and vanilla extract, creating a glossy, aromatic pudding base.
- Construct layered dessert cups by alternating crushed cookies, fresh banana slices, and the prepared pudding mixture.
- Generously drizzle caramel sauce between each delicate layer, ensuring rich flavor throughout the dessert.
- Repeat layering process until cups are completely filled, culminating with a final pudding layer and an elegant caramel sauce cascade.
- Refrigerate the assembled dessert for a minimum of 4 hours, allowing flavors to meld and texture to set.
- Before serving, crown each cup with a luxurious dollop of whipped cream and an additional caramel sauce embellishment.
Notes
- Choose ripe, soft bananas for the most intense flavor and natural sweetness in your pudding.
- Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan to prevent scorching and ensure even heat distribution during pudding preparation.
- Whisk continuously while cooking to avoid lumps and achieve a silky smooth texture in the pudding.
- Temper egg yolks carefully by adding hot mixture slowly to prevent scrambling and maintain a creamy consistency.
- Try different cookie types like graham crackers, vanilla wafers, or chocolate cookies for unique flavor variations.
- Make it gluten-free by substituting regular cookies with gluten-free alternatives or crushed nut-based cookies.
- Prepare pudding a day ahead to allow flavors to meld and develop a richer taste profile.
- Control caramel sauce sweetness by using dark or light caramel depending on personal preference.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 315 kcal
- Sugar: 34 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg