Future Mother-in-Law-Charming Nanner Pudd’n

Those of you not from the South may shudder at the decadence and resplendent lushness of this recipe for banana pudding.  This recipe has been around since ole Danny Wayne was just wink in his daddy’s eye.  Meringue is  required  for this, as is homemade custard.  Don’t be afraid, add plenty of good quality vanilla extract. My mother-in-law swears this is better than the nanner pudd’n her mother-in-law made – Now THAT is a statement.  So y’all just pretend that when you put the spoon in this to serve, all the fat and calories go to heaven.  I fix this in a vintage 1940’s Pyrex dish that belonged to my grandmother.  Enjoy (don’t burn the custard!)  My mother-in-law eats this for three meals a day until it is gone – which is not very long.

 

Future Mother-in-Law-Charming Nanner Pudd’n 

• 4 large eggs, separated
• ¾ cup granulated sugar, divided to ½ and ¼ cups
• 1/3 all purpose flor
• Dash of salt
• 3 cups whole milk or half and half (for a more decadent custard)
• 1 box of vanilla wafers (don’t use the cheap ones flavored with artificial vanilla
• 4 – 6 ripe bananas sliced (as many as you want. I use 6 nice ones)
• ½ stick unsalted butter in slices
• 1 whopping overflowing teaspoon of pure vanilla (don’t use the cheap or artificial stuff. Please invest in good vanilla. You’ll love yourself for doing it.)
• Healthy pinch of cream of tartar

 Instructions:
Separate the eggs and set aside the whites to come to room temperature for meringue (eggs separate better when cold).

In the top of a double boiler, whisk together 1/2 cup of the sugar with the flour, salt, and milk. Whisk in the yolks and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and mixture reaches 170 degrees. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla and butter and set aside, to cool slightly.

In a 2 quart baking dish begin layering. Spoon a small amount of the custard on the bottom of your dish; add a layer of the wafers on top of the custard and also around the outside of bowl with the rounded tops facing out, if desired. Continue to layer wafers, bananas and custard for a total of 2 to 3 layers, ending with custard on top. Set aside.

Prepare meringue by whipping the egg whites with the cream of tartar.  Whip until foamy and add in the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar.  Whip until stiff peaks form and add to top of the pudding, spreading to the edges. Place into a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the peaks of the meringue brown. Remove and let sit for about at least 1 hour, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours before serving. Garnish with a sprinkling of crushed wafers just before serving, if desired.

Double for a potluck or larger baker. I like to double the custard portion of this recipe. Can also place meringue under a broiler with the door cracked until peaks brown but only for mere seconds – so keep an eye on it.