Banana Pudding

[Cusina]

ludja, that recipe you posted is so conversational.

"This recipe will not use the whole box, so you may snack, but don't get carried away. " :big grin:

This just cracked me up.

[andiesenji]

On several occasions (some years ago) I made, at the request of a client, a sort of banana trifle.

I made a banana sponge cake in a tube pan and cut it into 3 layers.

I put the bottom layer into the trifle bowl, drizzled it with banana liquor then added a layer of banana pudding into which I had folded sliced bananas, then some whipped cream flavored with the banana liquor.

Repeated with the second layer and the third, then filled the center with sliced strawberries and more banana pudding. Piped whipped cream in rosettes over the top.

My client loved it so much he would have me make two, one for his guests and one just for himself.

This was the same guy who used to stroll around his house, out to the patio or pool and back into the kitchen totally starkers. The first time this happened I was a bit taken aback, however his maid said that he did it all the time. He never seemed to pay attention to what he was or wasn't wearing. I did advise him one time that he should not stand so close to the grill when I was firing it up. He asked why and I said either stand back or cover yourself because if these coals start popping you could get a burn. All he said was "righto, protect the goolies," then took an apron from a drawer and wrapped it around his waist. Up to that time I had always thought Brits were rather modest, however I suppose rockers are a breed apart.

It is a very nice presentation for banana pudding, takes it to an entire new level.

[Andrew Fenton]

I have seen banana pudding with whipped cream topping on occasion and wondered why people stray from the traditional merangue I grew up enjoying in Mississippi. Is there a sub-regional difference in taste?  

←

In his book North Carolina Barbecue: Flavored by Time, Bob Garner offers two recipes for banana pudding: a winter pudding, topped with meringue and allowed to mellow at room temperature, and a summer pudding, which is layered with whipped cream and softened in the refrigerator.

Me, I like meringue. I like how it gets slightly browned and caramelized; I like the elegance and economy of using the yolks for one part of the dish and the whites for the other; and I like its airiness, and the tiny bubbles that pop on your tongue.

[Andrew Fenton]

Say, does anybody ever make banana pudding with flavors of custard other than vanilla? Chocolate, butterscotch, lemon custard: all might be worth experimenting with, but I've never seen them.

Edited October 11, 2004 by Andrew Fenton (log)

[ludja]

ludja, that recipe you posted is so conversational.

"This recipe will not use the whole box, so you may snack, but don't get carried away. "  :big grin:

This just cracked me up.

←

It is a fun article. The recipe sounds pretty good too. Maybe I will try making my own first banana pudding at home!

It's been one of the best side affects of participating on egullet--innspiration to cook or eat things I may not have thought of before.

[andiesenji]

Say, does anybody ever make banana pudding with flavors of custard other than vanilla?  Chocolate, butterscotch, lemon custard: all might be worth experimenting with, but I've never seen them.

←

Yes I have. I have combined it with maple flavoring. But not on purpose.....

It was actually an accident, I was wearing my contact without my reading glasses. I had laser surgery in my left eye to correct severe myopia. My right eye is still extremely near sighted, 20x600 so I can read very well. However I had been shopping and I wear a contact lens in the right eye so I can drive and did not bother to remove the lens or put on my reading glasses because, of course I know where everything is in the kitchen.

Unknown to me my housekeeper had cleaned and shifted things around just enough to throw me off. I picked up the bottle and measured and dumped it into the bowl before it registered on my nose that it was not vanilla.

It was actually very good.

[joiei]

Banana pudding trifle, I think I will be all over that in a couple of weeks.

[RebeccaT]

I associate Banana Pudding with family reunions in Jackson, MS. I associate family reunions with Cool Whip. Therefore, by the transitive property, I associate Banana Pudding with Cool Whip.

Although I really shouldn't take that too far, or else I will also be forced to associate Banana Pudding with Jello Pretzel Salad or Green Bean Casserole.

Apparently Paula Deen makes hers with Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies instead of Nilla Wafers. Has anyone tried this? I love the idea of shortbread cookies as a change of pace...

[ruthcooks]

Once I had a student whose husband loved banana pudding above all else, so I made him a dessert which I called "Banana Cream Pie, Michael's Fantasy." Eventually it ended up in a rectangular baking dish: a graham cracker crust (I actually think vanilla wafer crumbs would be better)and a sort of banana liqueur flavored bavarian cream topped with sliced bananas and an apricot glaze.

Somewhere in these millions of recipes I have is one for banana pudding that really intrigues me--it has a drizzle of caramel running through it. Another idea: how about some broken up pralines?

I'm getting carried away. I think I forgot to eat lunch.

[Varmint]

I just read this morning that they'll be serving fried banana pudding at the North Carolina State Fair. Not sure about that one.

[Mayhaw Man]

Can't be any stranger than fried Pimento Cheese Balls. I am still trying to wrap my pea brain around that one.

[Gifted Gourmet]

I just read this morning that they'll be serving fried banana pudding at the North Carolina State Fair.  Not sure about that one.

←

This is fairly straightforward but adds the step of frying the bananas first with a bit of sugar, butter, and possibly rum .. but I think all of that would detract from the creaminess the disintegrating bananas add to a banana pudding ...

As for Mayhaw Man's fried pimento cheese balls , how bad could that possibly be? Roll them in bread crumbs and fry up in butter, or lard, for a crispy exterior ... crispy with creamy centers .. I like it already!

both of these items are made by making more work for the cook than necessary and, in the overall scheme of things, is only another variation upon a theme ... I would opt to go with the simpler versions of banana pudding and the pimento cheese au naturel ...

[FistFullaRoux]

I never had it with a topping either.

One Grandmother was from North Central Louisiana and made a vanilla pudding to top the wafers and banana slices, as did her sisters and sisters-in-law.

The other grandmother was born on Bayou LaFourche and made banana pudding with "Bouie" (sp) , French for boiled, a custard of boiled milk, sugar, vanilla, and a little corn starch. It's been a while since I've made it and I cannot remember the correct amounts. 

←

OMG... I had completely forgotten about "bouille". I got to make some.

Now. So homesick...

Edited October 15, 2004 by FistFullaRoux (log)

[Varmint]

I tried the fried banana pudding, fortunately just getting a free sample. What this is, as Gifted Gourmet surmised, is just a deep fried banana that they then drop into some instant vanilla pudding. Very gross and disappointing.

And not nearly as good as my fried bologna sandwich with cheese and grilled onions. ;-)

[Lexica]

I tried the fried banana pudding, fortunately just getting a free sample.  What this is, as Gifted Gourmet surmised, is just a deep fried banana that they then drop into some instant vanilla pudding.  Very gross and disappointing.

←

Disappointing indeed, and not nearly as interesting as the mental picture I had of somebody figuring out a way to deep-fry a portion of banana pudding.

[Gifted Gourmet]

That was my very quick initial reaction as well, Lexica! I could envision a glob of banana pudding being lowered into a deep fryer and coming apart without eggs to hold it together ... horrible!

Deep frying the bananas first began to make more sense ...

[andiesenji]

This made me think of the deep fried Twinkies sold at the L.A. County fair (and others) - - -

If there are no more Twinkies, what are they going to deep fry, banana muffins?

Of course there is that ersatz "Twinkie-like" filled cake thingy made by one of the other commercial bakeries. I just can't recall the name at the moment. Come to think of it, I think it is banana flavored.

There is, of course, deep fried ice cream.

I bet deep fried pudding would work. You would have to roll it in something like corn flake crumbs first - or maybe in a little filo dough beggar's bag, or in a won ton wrapper.

The mind boggles at all the possibilities. maybe I should fire up the deep fryer and see how it goes............

Of course I would first have to get some bananas - ah ha! Vallarta is having a sale...

Off to the market, soon.

Edited October 16, 2004 by andiesenji (log)

[EllenH]

I am definitely in the "no topping" camp...my mom, from SE Kentucky, made it that way -- also homemade pudding only.

Thanksgiving's coming up & she hasn't made banana pudding in years....maybe I can talk her into it! Yum, that and pumpkin pie, my lord -- dessert nirvana!

[Gifted Gourmet]

And when you are the upscale, glitzy Buckhead Diner of Atlanta, you offer your customers one of the all time prizewinning variations on banana pudding: White Chocolate Banana Creme Pie

the original recipe

“The Buckhead Diner in Atlanta, Georgia, is an updated, postmodern homage to the diner, a genuine American institution. In the same way, former chef-owner Gerry Klaskala’s banana cream pie is a new reading of an old favorite – with its spirit kept intact.

[hershellipow]

I have seen banana pudding with whipped cream topping on occasion and wondered why people stray from the traditional merangue I grew up enjoying in Mississippi. Is there a sub-regional difference in taste?  

←

In his book North Carolina Barbecue: Flavored by Time, Bob Garner offers two recipes for banana pudding: a winter pudding, topped with meringue and allowed to mellow at room temperature, and a summer pudding, which is layered with whipped cream and softened in the refrigerator.

Me, I like meringue. I like how it gets slightly browned and caramelized; I like the elegance and economy of using the yolks for one part of the dish and the whites for the other; and I like its airiness, and the tiny bubbles that pop on your tongue.

←

Very interesting to vary the topping by season. Makes sense, but I agree that meringue makes my day any day of the year. Thanks to all those who responded to my query - even if I spelled meringue phonetically.

[Swisskaese]

Edited because my computer was misbehavin.

Edited November 13, 2004 by Swisskaese (log)

[Swisskaese]

Of course there is that ersatz "Twinkie-like" filled cake thingy made by one of the other commercial bakeries.  I just can't recall the name at the moment.  Come to think of it, I think it is banana flavored. 

That would be a Little Debbie Banana Twin and that is probably a whole other Southern topic.

[NYC Mike]

What a cool section of EG this is...

I grew up on banana cream pie = nilla wafers crumbs crust, jello brand vanilla pudding and ripe bananas.

Banana pudding should be rich and eggy, topped with meringue not less than 4 inches high! Any low-fat version of banana pudding should be banned. Use cornstarch as a thickener if you must, but the egg yolks are what should give the pudding its lusciousness. And yes, I like the Nilla Wafers® -- no other vanilla wafer will do!

Someone share a recipe?

-Mike

[annecros]

What a cool section of EG this is...

I grew up on banana cream pie = nilla wafers crumbs crust, jello brand vanilla pudding and ripe bananas.

Banana pudding should be rich and eggy, topped with meringue not less than 4 inches high! Any low-fat version of banana pudding should be banned. Use cornstarch as a thickener if you must, but the egg yolks are what should give the pudding its lusciousness. And yes, I like the Nilla Wafers® -- no other vanilla wafer will do!

Someone share a recipe?

-Mike

←

Somehow, I just knew when I saw the topic, that you would be the topic bouncer NYCMike!

Banana pudding? No problem. There are quite a few who would testify to the fact that Mama used cook and serve jello vanilla, but mine didn't. It does require the Nabisco 'Nilla Wafers, and you beat up all the egg whites you didn't use for the pudding for the meringue, and sometimes one or two extra.

Our Texas friends provide exactly the recipe I love:

http://www.texascooking.com/features/apr99bestbanana.htm

The kids will love it!

[NYC Mike]

Somehow, I just knew when I saw the topic, that you would be the topic bouncer NYCMike!

LOL!! I just spent my entire day off reading through all 8 pages of this section. What amazing information, some of the early posts are really outstanding!

I have a bazillion questions but I thought baby steps....lets start with banana pudding.