The first version of banana pudding that I tried was from the famous Magnolia bakery in NYC. At the time, there were queues out the door and around the corner. It became very famous after it was featured in an episode of Sex and the City. Although I missed the show, I heard about the bakery! This recipe for banana pudding is a slight variation of the many that are posted online. In the UK, the most difficult thing to find is the Nilla wafers. Unfortunately, I can’t really think of a British substitute, so you may need to splash out and order from an American online shop. The pudding is also American, but custard could be a potential substitute.
The recipe for banana pudding is quite easy to make. However, you should prepare it a day in advance for the best taste. This is because the cookies need a little time to soften, but you don’t want them to become too soggy.
Ingredients
5 ripe bananas
600 ml whipping cream
1 can (397 g) sweetened condensed milk
300ml cold water
1 large box vanilla pudding mix
425 g box Nilla wafers
Shaved chocolate, optional
Instructions
First, in a mixing bowl whisk together sweetened condensed milk and cold water. Set aside. Next, in another mixing bowl add the pudding mix. Then slowly whisk in the milk mixture until there are no lumps and the mixture is smooth. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about an hour.
In a large mixing bowl, whip the cream on medium speed for about two minutes until the cream starts to thicken, then increase the speed to medium high and whip until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture until the it is well-mixed. Slice the bananas about 1/2 cm thick and set aside. Cover so that they do not turn brown.
Use a large trifle dish or a wide glass bowl. First, set aside around 12 whole Nilla wafers. Spread one-quarter of the pudding mixture on the bottom. Then layer with one-third of the cookies and one-third of the sliced bananas. Repeat the layering two more times. Finally, end with a layer of pudding. Garnish the top with additional cookies.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 6 hours. Serve straight out of the refrigerator. Top with shaved chocolate (optional). It tastes the best that day, but will last for a couple of days in the refrigerator. The cookies will just keep getting softer over time.
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