I'll go first! I was shocked at how EASY it was to make the yummy homemade pudding FROM SCRATCH! However it takes some SERIOUS dedication to this cause to make it correctly. It doesn't require a lot of ingredients, but it does require a lot of attention! You literally can't take your eyes off of it for a second! But we'll get into that more later! The recipe is listed below, please see my notes in red.
Ingredients:
Servings:
8-12
Units: US | Metric
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
3 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (10 ounce) bag vanilla wafers
6 bananas, sliced
1/4 cup sugar
Not a bad ingredient list! I love that it's not too many ingredients and most of the items on this list, you probably already have at home! That's ALWAYS a plus!
: 
This recipe gets 5 halos for the ingredient list!
Before I did any cooking, I prepared everything I needed. I separated my yolks from egg whites, cut up a few of my bananas and put down the first layer of cookies/bananas in my pan! Once you start making this pudding you have to babysit it, there's no time for anything else so setup is imperative!
Directions
1 Combine (to make custard) sugar, flour, corn starch, and salt in a pot.
2 Stir in milk.
3 Heat over low heat, stirring often to avoid scorching, until thickened.
4 (beleive me, you will know when this happens!-seems like it takes"forever" - You can tell but it's not that obvious, I say use the spoon test, when the pudding is thick enough to coat your spoon, you're ready for your egg yolks) Beat egg yolks and gradually stir into the hot sugar mixture. (This is where that advance preparation comes in handy, you have to keep stirring, there's no time for cracking eggs, unless you've got an extra set of hands.)
Once the egg yolks are added it really begins to thicken! This part is so neat! Now you've made your own delicious pudding - FROM SCRATCH with only a few ingredients already at your house! No need for that instant stuff, you can taste the difference! Once you go homemade, there's no turning back!
5 Cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
6 Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
7 "Line"a 2 quart casserole dish with a layer of wafers and top with half of the sliced bananas.
I was making a larger pan here, but you get the idea, I layered my cookies then put a banana in each space b/t the cookies so there was sure to be some banana and cookie in every bite!
8 (**Iusually have this step finished before I begin to make the custard.**) Pour half of"custard" over bananas.
Now this is my only problem with this recipe .. THERE'S NOT ENOUGH PUDDING/CUSTARD!!! Use it sparingly to make sure you have enough to cover both layers, but I suggest doubling the recipe. When I tasted the final product, there was more cookies than pudding! Don't get me wrong, I love vanilla wafers, but I wanted more of that delicious pudding I stood over that hot stove and labored to make! Now if you want more cookies and a thin layer of pudding then go with the recipe as it's written.
9 Repeat, ending with custard on top.
10 In separate bowl, beat egg whites stiff, but not dry.
11 (I use the electric mixer on high.) Gradually add 1/4 c sugar and beat until mixture forms stiff peaks.
Another confusing part of the recipe. This process is not instant and actually takes longer than you think, I timed at least 3-5 minutes in my kitchen aid beating on high. For those of you who aren't sure what a stiff peak is, I've posted a picture. This means that when you stick your spoon in the bowl and pull it out the mixture forms a peak that actually holds and doesn't fall over. It's kind of like making homemade whipped cream and this meringue is DELICIOUS!
12 Pile on top of pudding.
13 Spread it around to the edges of the dish to"seal" it.
14 (Then make the top pretty by making designs with the back of the spoon.) Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for about 5 minutes. My question here was should I line the top of the pan with the extra nilla wafers before or after baking to brown the meringue? I tried it both ways and here's what happened:
Hopefully you can see this ok, but adding the wafers before baking caused them to burn! I actually did not allow my meringue to brown as much as I wanted it to because I had to take my pudding out of the oven due to the cookies burning!
When I added the wafers after baking:
I was able to allow my pudding to brown longer and it was beautiful! BUT there's a catch to this as well! The meringue actually sets and forms a bit of a "crust" as it browns, if you just jab the cookies into the meringue it will cause it to break up and be ugly, now for me, presentation is everything (my mommy always told me if it's pretty people will at least try it!!) so I had to carefully insert my thin spatula into the side of the pan to push back the meringue a bit, then I was able to add my cookies for a nice finish!
16 Serve warm or chilled. It's delicious either way!
I give this recipe 4 halos, it was well written and I was able to follow it pretty easily. It wasn't very complicated, didn't require a lot of fancy equipment to make it. You'll have a blast making this at home, I only gave it four halos b/c as I said before, I recommend doubling the pudding recipe.
Flavor:
:
I give this recipe four Halos for flavor .. the pudding is delicious but again, we need more, when I first ate it I was in food heaven, but as I continued to eat it there was a bitter after taste that developed. The meringue is amazing! Definitely a recipe I'd use again to top any pie or pudding and it didn't turn to mush overnight which was nice!
Don't Take my word for it .. See below what the reviewers had to say about it:
Anastasia:
So I was very excited to try this pudding. I am a sucker for
the homegrown classics and banana pudding is one of those things that just
screams - “Grandma’s House.” Being a fan of banana pudding, I can honestly say
I was skeptical about any recipe meeting my expectations. However, I was
pleasantly surprised with Osie’s version. First things first – presentation. I
loved the toasted meringue topping and the cookies edging the top added a
quaint touch. On a scale of 1 to 5 for presentation, I think the pudding definitely
would earn 5 halos. It perfectly
captured the essence of homemade and half reminded me of the fare found at a
church potluck. Nobody knows their way around a kitchen better than church
ladies. And of course, Gwen.
The banana pudding was very thick and rich, almost
reminiscent of a soda shoppe banana milkshake. There was, however, a slight
starchy aftertaste to the pudding, which I think could’ve been from excess
flour. I’m not sure how this recipe directed the flour aspect, but I know I
usually have to cook the flour a while before adding milk to get the
starchiness out. I loved the vanilla
wafers and I thought the amount of cookies was perfect for me, but the pudding-to-cookie
ratio might need to be adjusted up. Also, I think full-fat vanilla wafers (like
most things) have more flavor so I would’ve liked to have had them in the
pudding. So out of 5 halos for taste (lol) I would give the flavor and
consistency a 4.
So 9 out of 10 – definitely in highly recommended range. And
my waistline will be avoiding this deliciousness like the plague.
Parteek:
Howdy y’all,
I have always loved eating Nilla wafers by themselves; but
eating this heavenly concoction has given me a newfound appreciation for Nilla
wafers in banana pudding. The slice was
food for my eyes—a fluffy meringue topping over fresh bananas,
made-from-scratch pudding, and two layers of Nilla wafers. Those of you, who have made meringue, know
that it is an art to achieve the fluffy, marshmallow-like interior. If not done properly, the meringue will
“sweat out” and fall off the banana pudding.
I particularly enjoyed the use of fresh bananas and homemade pudding,
which vastly differs in taste from the bright yellow canned version and allows
the flavors to blend more easily together.
I personally like crunchier banana pudding to offset the soft texture of
the bananas and pudding; however, keep in mind that banana pudding left
overnight will soften the Nilla wafers to become cake like. If you don’t like Nilla wafers, consider
using shortbread cookies and if a meringue is not your thing, try a
vanilla-bean mousse topping! Overall,
this dessert was finger licking good and I will definitely make it in the near
future.
Till next time,
Parteek
Nandita:
Hey all you foodies out
there!
Osie’s fresh take on an
old favorite- banana pudding- is definitely bringing this dessert back. Two
layers of made from scratch pudding was combined with a dual layer of vanilla
wafers, and coated with a perfectly whipped meringue top! The pudding had fresh
mashed up bananas and enough wafers so that you could sink your teeth into this
perfect combination of tastes and textures in every bite.
My recommendation to put
this delicious dessert over the top: mix some cinnamon sugar into the whipped
cream and sprinkle some crushed vanilla wafers. Cinnamon brings out the sweet
and ripened flavor of the fruit, while the crisp topping keeps the dish fresh
even after it’s been fridge! Just thinking about it is making me hungry!
Your honorary member of
the clean plate club,
Deeta
Mr. Jones
The Banana was AMAZING! The homemade pudding put the instant jello pudding to shame, will never eat instant jello pudding again! Not a big meringue fan, but this meringue was subtle and delicious! The banana pudding gets 5 halos, brightly shining!
He's telling you all the truth, Banana Pudding is his favorite dessert and when he tasted this, I had to make another pan, just for him to eat! (I know, I know, he's spoiled!)
Total Halo Rating of 4.6 / 5 Halos
NOW THE 1 MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION!
IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STORE BRAND AND NABISCO NILLA WAFERS
I had to know so I bought both and tried them out! As for flavor, I thought it was very similar between the two, I thought the store brand had a bit of an after taste but not much. The difference comes with texture! The Nabisco wafers melt in your mouth, which also means they'll soften up nicely and quickly in your banana pudding. The store brand wafers were a lot tougher and crunchier, which some people like. Ultimately it's up to you, I would probably mix them (buy one box of each) so one could have the best of both worlds!
I hope you all have enjoyed this review! Have a blast with this recipe! This one is sure to be a crowd pleaser!
Next we're going to try a very unique recipe so stay tuned and Happy Baking!
From my kitchen to yours
Love,
Gwendolyn Jones & The Clean Plate Club
Heavenly Sweets Bakery
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