I don’t like Banana Pudding, never have liked it, till now that is. Hating to admit it, I think perhaps I may be somewhat of a picky eater. Learning to cook and eat Southern has required me to set aside what I think I like and don’t like in favor of what I might learn to like.

Southern Banana Pudding is one of those foods that I might learn to like, especially when the recipe comes from Scott and Miss Edna. This was a time consuming dessert with a few steps and preparations before assembling. Never the less it was a fun dessert to make. Each step brought me closer to the finished creation and I found myself excited and enjoying the process immensely.

I simply had a blast baking and cooking today. I also had the right amount of bananas hanging around the house once again this week. Bananas just starting to ripen and turn somewhat while still maintaining there crispness and firm texture were called for to make this Southern dessert.

Often Southern homes will have a swing on the front porch. This is the kind of dessert that makes you want to grab a bowl and spoon as you head out to the porch for a swing eating and watching the world in front of you. We have a lovely breeze in Charleston that graces us every afternoon regardless of how hot the day was. It makes porch sitting special and endurable during the steamy summer months. There is a sense of nostalgia making and eating this dessert; a time passed, a time forgotten. Porch sitting only heightens the mood while having a bowl of custard, cake, bananas, and meringue.

I thought today I would talk about making and assembling the dessert, showing the progression by way of photos. The recipe calls for making your own Angel Food Cake. Quite frankly, I did not have it in me, so I cheated big time and bought one. When I make this again I will go the extra mile and bake my own cake for the Banana Pudding as I am convinced it will make a difference.

Cut about 4 cups of Angel Food Cake into 1 inch cubes and toast in a 350 degree oven, turning once or twice till lightly browned. Set aside to cool when done.

Peel and slice your bananas into 1/2 inch sections. You want your bananas when the skin just begins to turn brown. This will deliver a ripe and flavorful banana that is still nice and firm on the inside, with just a touch of softness on the outside of the peeled banana. Set aside till ready to assemble.

Heat your milk and cream as directed with your vanilla bean that has been twisted. No need to scrape the inside of the bean. Once the milk comes to just under a simmer, set aside for 20 minutes with a lid on to steep.

Meanwhile, whip your 12 egg yolks till creamy adding the sugar,flour and salt till mixed. You should have a rich looking bright yellow egg mixture when done, that is free of lumps.

Remove the vanilla bean from the mixture when cool. Slowly add a little of the mixture to the eggs whisking quickly. Then begin in a steady stream adding the remainder of the milk and cream to the eggs while whisking the entire time. You mixture should continue to be lump free.

Return the egg and milk mixture to a clean saucepan, over medium high heat bring to a boil. Make sure you whisk the entire time the mixture is on the heat, being careful to get all around the edges and bottom of the pan. Once it comes to a boil cook for about one minute till it thickens nicely.

At this point put your custard in a clean bowl and whisk in the remainder 1 cup of heavy cream and 3 teaspoons of vanilla. It was suggested that you put the custard through a sieve. I attempted to do this but my sieve is extra fine, and the custard wasn’t budging. I did not have any lumps at all so I made an executive decision foregoing this step altogether. Absolutely no regrets for taking a short cut. You are now ready to assemble the Banana Pudding.

First you put a little of the custard at the bottom of a dish or small dishes as I chose. Then some toasted cake followed by bananas. Repeat this process another time or two ending with custard at the top.

As you can see I filled these over the brim, since I am sealing the puddings with the meringue nothing overflowed. I wanted my puddings nice and full.

I whipped my egg whites till I had firm glossy peaks. When I lifted the whisk on the mixer I still got a bend. Taking a spatula I generously put a layer of the meringue on the puddings being careful to seal the edges completely. I then took another generous dollop and put that on top swirling the top and lifting to have a nice peak on top.

Bake the puddings in a preheat oven set to 400 degrees for 5 minutes. I set my timer at 2 minutes then turned them around for even browning. Did the same at another 2 minutes, then finished off for 1 to 2 minutes more. Be careful as they brown quickly.

I had some of the pudding when they came out of the oven, but actually think the puddings taste better as they sit for a few hours. Had one cold out of the ice box and the cake had a chance to soften more. It was to die for cold as well.

Rather than making one large pudding I chose to make smaller individual servings. When I make this again, I will prepare everything up to the meringue topping and allow to sit for a few hours to develop and mesh together. I will then prepare the meringue putting them in the oven and serving to guests.

You could easily have your mixer out on the counter and as long as your eggs were at room temperature as they whip up rather quickly. Ten minutes at the most you will be away from your guests. That is a good time to get the husband or your beau to tell a story, you won’t be missed and your dinner guests will flip over these simple yet grand dessert.

Besides a good story is just the perfect prelude to a good Southern dessert. They almost go hand in hand with one another. I am lucky as my husband always seems to have a story to tell and can keep our guests laughing and smiling for quite some time; they don’t even know I have even left the table except to hear an occaisonaly rattle or noise coming from the kitchen.

Banana Pudding

Scott Peacock and Edna Lewis, The Gift of Southern Cooking

The Custard:

2 cups of whole milk

2 cups of heavy cream

1 vanilla bean

12 egg yolks

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 cups of Anglel Food Cake cut into 1-inch cubes and lightly toasted

4 large ripe banana peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch rounds about 5 cups

The Meringue

8 egg whites room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoon granulated sugar

• Put the milk, 1 cup of heavy cream and the vanilla bean into a non-reactive saucepan.
• Heat slowly until the milk and cream are just below a simmer, then cover and remove from the heat and allow to steep 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put egg yolks in a bowl and whisk in the sugar, followed by the flour and the salt, mixing until there are no lumps and everything is completely smooth.
• Remove vanilla bean from the milk mixutre and slowly whisk into egg yolks.
• Return to a saucepan and cook, whisking constantly over moderately high heat until the custard thinkens and begins to bubble.
• Be sure to whisk around the edges and all over the bottom.
• Cook for 1 minute after the custard begins to boil, then remove from heat.
• At this point it should be very thick.
• Strain through a mesh sieve if you have any lumps.
• Whisk in heavy cream and vanilla.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Follow above for assembly directions.
• Whip egg whites in mixer beating slowly until they become frothy.
• Add the vanilla and continue beating until the egg whites just begin to form soft mounds.
• While beating, begin sprinkling the sugar in 1/4 cup portions at a time, beating only until all fo the sugar is incorporated. Repeat the process with the remaining sugar.
• Finish by beating until the egg whites are moist and very glossy and hold peaks that are firm but still bend when lifted on the end of a whisk.
• Immediately spoon the beaten egg whites over the surface of the pudding making sure to seal the edges.
• Work quickly to make decorative swirls.
• Bake for 5 minutes, checking ever 2 minutes, turning the pudding for even browning.
• Serve warm or at room temperture or eat cold out of the ice box.

This was such an outrageously good dessert. I am faced with a few dilemnas though after eating a second helping mind you. The first dilemna I am facing is; not only are my clothes getting a touch tight my skin is as well. Not a good sign when the skin gets tight. The upside of this means my cooking is getting a whole lot better. This calls for some serious walking on our beloved new bridge, which is a site in itself to see.

The second dilemma is we are almost done with renovations and I do not have a swing on my front porch. My plan is to go to the house with the pudding and try and convince the husband, that we need a porch swing if we are going to be a proper Southern home. Wish me luck as I head on over and see if my cooking can prompt a halt on work till we solve this one. Someone has to have their priorities in order.

If you want to see any pictures of the kitchen renovation head on over to the Kitchen Larder for a peak! I have all I can do to stop myself from firing up a grill in the kitchen just to get a sense of what my new home is going to be like.