Banana Pudding

also called nanner pudding · banana puddin · vanilla wafer pudding

Three ways to read this recipe

The table

Banana Pudding: ingredients down the left, what to do with them across. Tap any cell to cross it off.
3/4 cup(150 g)granulated sugarwhisk smooth in a saucepancook to a boil, 8 mincool 20 min off the heatlayer in a 2-qt dishchill 4 hr
1/4 cup(32 g)cornstarch
1/4 tsptable salt
4 large(74 g)egg yolks
3 cups(720 mL)whole milk
2 Tbs(28 g)unsalted butter
2 tsp(10 mL)vanilla extract
11 oz(310 g)vanilla wafers
4(sliced 1/4-in thick)ripe bananas
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.11 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1whisk smooth in a saucepan

2cook to a boil, 8 min

goes in with what step 1 made

3cool 20 min off the heat

goes in with what step 2 made

4layer in a 2-qt dish

goes in with what step 3 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 4 hr 28 min2 of 5 steps give no time
Needs you
about 8 min
If you get it wrong
Forgiving — the custard has to reach an actual boil, because one that never boils never sets and no extra chilling will thicken it
  1. whisk smooth in a saucepan

    not timedfrom the start

  2. cook to a boil, 8 min

    8 minneeds youfrom the start

  3. cool 20 min off the heat

    20 minwalk away8 min in

  4. layer in a 2-qt dish

    not timed28 min in

  5. chill 4 hr

    4 hrwalk away28 min in

You'll need 2-qt dish · saucepan

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Banana Pudding
>> category: Custards & Puddings
>> tags: banana, custard, vanilla wafers, dessert, make-ahead
>> counters: Smokehouse, Diner, Meat and Three
>> aka: nanner pudding, banana puddin, vanilla wafer pudding
>> servings: 8
>> time: 5 hr
>> slack: forgiving — the custard has to reach an actual boil, because one that never boils never sets and no extra chilling will thicken it

>> step: whisk smooth in a saucepan
Whisk @granulated sugar{3/4%cup}(150 g), @cornstarch{1/4%cup}(32 g), @table salt{1/4%tsp}, and @egg yolks{4%large}(74 g) smooth in a cold #saucepan{}.

>> step: cook to a boil, 8 min
Cook @&(~1)yolks{} with @whole milk{3%cups}(720 mL) over medium heat, ~whisk{8%min}, until it comes to a boil and thickens enough to hold the trace of the whisk.

>> step: cool 20 min off the heat
Stir @unsalted butter{2%Tbs}(28 g) and @vanilla extract{2%tsp}(10 mL) into @&(~1)custard{} off the heat, then let it ~cool{20%min} under a lid.

>> step: layer in a 2-qt dish
Layer @&(~1)custard{} with @vanilla wafers{11%oz}(310 g) and @ripe bananas{4}(sliced 1/4-in thick) in a #2-qt dish{}, wafers first, custard last, pressed to the edges so no banana meets the air.

>> step: chill 4 hr
Chill @&(~1)pudding{} for ~chill{4%hr}, by which time the wafers have gone to cake.