Banana Pudding

[highchef]

I don't know why, but I keep wondering as I read this thread, how I could incorporate a wee bit o rum in there??

I only hesitate because I'd be afraid it would screw up the pudding cohesion. Any thoughts?

I know, I know, you could put rum flavor but that's not really my point. Think of a great bread pudding, like from Antoines', with a buttery, bourboney, sweet sauce. Now imagine a bananna pudding with that rum flavor. I don't think I'd do a sauce, it'd screw up the meringue-wouldn't it?

[judiu]

I don't know why, but I keep wondering as I read this thread, how I could incorporate a wee bit o rum in there??

I only hesitate because I'd be afraid it would screw up the pudding cohesion. Any thoughts?

I know, I know, you could put rum flavor but that's not really my point. Think of a great bread pudding, like from Antoines', with a buttery, bourboney, sweet sauce. Now imagine a bananna pudding with that rum flavor. I don't think I'd do a sauce, it'd screw up the meringue-wouldn't it?

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If it were me, I'd dribble a bit of rum over the wafers in each layer before the pudding ever got to them. Not enough to mush them up, just enough to soften them SLIGHTLY. Put the wafers in the serving container, waft the rum over, maybe even using a spritz bottle, bananas, pudding, wafers, more rum, etc. HTH!

[Mayhaw Man]

As a slightly different take on Banana Pudding, you might want to try Valerie Hill's (pastry chef at Johnny's Half Shell in DC) Warm Banana Pudding Pie. I have eaten a ton of it (probably literally) and love the stuff. It's stupendously good and not very hard to make. In fact, you can make the pie ahead of time and then do the meringue just before you are ready to serve. She makes these in little phyllo dough shells, but a pie would be as good, though not look quite as cool on the dessert plate.

Look in the little box to the left for theWarm Banana Pudding Pie recipe.

[annecros]

I don't know why, but I keep wondering as I read this thread, how I could incorporate a wee bit o rum in there??

I only hesitate because I'd be afraid it would screw up the pudding cohesion. Any thoughts?

I know, I know, you could put rum flavor but that's not really my point. Think of a great bread pudding, like from Antoines', with a buttery, bourboney, sweet sauce. Now imagine a bananna pudding with that rum flavor. I don't think I'd do a sauce, it'd screw up the meringue-wouldn't it?

←

I see you have other responses, but I would steep the bananas in a bit in the rum.

Banana pudding is intended for overripe bananas, so I wouldn't worry TOO much about the browning on the bananas.

You know, some cream of coconut subbed in just might make the whole thing go over the top with bananas and rum, with some grated coconut on top, and maybe some chocolate microplaned on the hot meringue while it is cooling...

Edit to add: Thanks highchef. I think I will be blowing my family away here pretty soon. I have pictures of this dessert in my head now. I like the wafers crisp. Telltale sign of a fresh pudding.

Edited January 4, 2007 by annecros (log)

[highchef]

I don't know why, but I keep wondering as I read this thread, how I could incorporate a wee bit o rum in there??

I only hesitate because I'd be afraid it would screw up the pudding cohesion. Any thoughts?

I know, I know, you could put rum flavor but that's not really my point. Think of a great bread pudding, like from Antoines', with a buttery, bourboney, sweet sauce. Now imagine a bananna pudding with that rum flavor. I don't think I'd do a sauce, it'd screw up the meringue-wouldn't it?

←

I see you have other responses, but I would steep the bananas in a bit in the rum.

Banana pudding is intended for overripe bananas, so I wouldn't worry TOO much about the browning on the bananas.

You know, some cream of coconut subbed in just might make the whole thing go over the top with bananas and rum, with some grated coconut on top, and maybe some chocolate microplaned on the hot meringue while it is cooling...

Edit to add: Thanks highchef. I think I will be blowing my family away here pretty soon. I have pictures of this dessert in my head now. I like the wafers crisp. Telltale sign of a fresh pudding.

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coconut milk for the milk in the pudding?

can you reconstitute dried bananna chips with rum?

I think we're reinventing the dish here, but it sure sounds good!

I like the wafers crisp too, so unless I was going to make it a trifle bananna pudding I need another way to incorporate the rum, I do think soaking the banannas (either fresh, or chips) would be the way for that little change. Thanks!

[annecros]

I don't know why, but I keep wondering as I read this thread, how I could incorporate a wee bit o rum in there??

I only hesitate because I'd be afraid it would screw up the pudding cohesion. Any thoughts?

I know, I know, you could put rum flavor but that's not really my point. Think of a great bread pudding, like from Antoines', with a buttery, bourboney, sweet sauce. Now imagine a bananna pudding with that rum flavor. I don't think I'd do a sauce, it'd screw up the meringue-wouldn't it?

←

I see you have other responses, but I would steep the bananas in a bit in the rum.

Banana pudding is intended for overripe bananas, so I wouldn't worry TOO much about the browning on the bananas.

You know, some cream of coconut subbed in just might make the whole thing go over the top with bananas and rum, with some grated coconut on top, and maybe some chocolate microplaned on the hot meringue while it is cooling...

Edit to add: Thanks highchef. I think I will be blowing my family away here pretty soon. I have pictures of this dessert in my head now. I like the wafers crisp. Telltale sign of a fresh pudding.

←

coconut milk for the milk in the pudding?

can you reconstitute dried bananna chips with rum?

I think we're reinventing the dish here, but it sure sounds good!

I like the wafers crisp too, so unless I was going to make it a trifle bananna pudding I need another way to incorporate the rum, I do think soaking the banannas (either fresh, or chips) would be the way for that little change. Thanks!

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Oh wow, reconstituting the banana chips is a great idea, but you would not get the texture or flavor - I don't think. Would have to go side by side to know for sure, and eat some drunk banana bits!

Absolutely coconut milk for SOME of the milk in the pudding. It goes on all the time down here at several places I am familiar with. Heavy cream may have to sub for the milk portion though, to keep some of the fat up. This may work for those that like the flavor of coconut but not the texture. Would be a neat little thing to slip in to that flavor profile as well, I think.

It does sound lovely. Think I will play around this weekend - this could be something nice. We won't know until we try.

Edited January 5, 2007 by annecros (log)

[Domestic Goddess]

Mike - my hubby's a Ky boy and simply loves banana pudding. He made me get the recipe from his mom and I have been making it since. I make everything from scratch, especially the vanilla wafers. Here are the recipe and a pic of my banana pudding...

Mom’s Banana Pudding

Pudding Ingredients:

½ cup flour

2 egg yolks, well-beaten (save the egg whites for later – meringue)

2 ½ cups milk

1 tbsp. Vanilla powder

1tbsp. Butter

a pinch of salt

1 cup sugar

Meringue topping ingredients:

2 egg whites

¼ tsp. cream of tartar

6 tbsp. Sugar

*Vanilla wafer cookies

1. Cook milk, sugar, salt and flour together in a wok or pan. Stir over medium heat until the mixture comes together like gravy. Keep stirring all the time to prevent lumps forming.

2. When the mixture looks like loose gravy add the beaten egg yolks and STIR CONSTANTLY until thickened to pudding consistency.

3. Remove from heat and add the vanilla and the butter and stir some more. Set aside.

4. Bake the vanilla cookies and when done set aside.

5. For the meringue topping, take a mixer and a clean bowl. In the bowl put the egg whites and beat it with the mixer until soft peaks form on the mixture. The egg whites should look white now and slowly add sugar (sprinkling it around the bowl while mixing.) Add the cream of tartar too now. Keep adding sugar while bating the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside when the egg whites look like white icing.

6. Now it is time to layer the dish. First put a layer of vanilla cookies on the bottom of the pan or dish. Then layer pudding, then a layer of sliced bananas and then vanilla cookies again. Keep repeating the process until the dish is full. Top with meringue and brown the meringue in oven (set in 375 F degrees) for about 5-10 minutes. Watch carefully because it doesn’t take long to.

*Vanilla Wafer cookies recipe

INGREDIENTS

· 1/2 cup butter (no substitutes), softened

· 1 cup sugar

· 1 egg

· 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

· 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

· 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

· 1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

[NYC Mike]

Thanks for the recipes, I think we will try all three....in the name of research of course!

-mike

[NYC Mike]

No idea why my merenge refused to brown anything other than the tiny peaks but this was a very very good banana pudding. Our children we very happy with us!

The is not every day eating!

-Mike

[annecros]

Looks great Mike, and there is no reason not to make it an everyday kind of thing. Banana's are cheap.

Maybe a shallower dish or a couple more egg whites to bring the meringue up higher so it is more exposed to the browning elements in the oven? It is hard to get too much merinque.

I haven't tried the great rum/banana pudding experiment, yet...

Edited January 9, 2007 by annecros (log)

[K8memphis]

I have a recipe for bp that when we had potlucks at work we would take up a collection for the bp girl to make to be sure to make for us. I mean we would freaking look for reasons to have a pot luck so we could get some. But I can't find it. hmmm, I'll keep looking though.

[judiu]

No idea why my merenge refused to brown anything other than the tiny peaks but this was a very very good banana pudding.  Our children we very happy with us!

The is not every day eating! 

-Mike

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Brulee torch? But, then again, who cares? Sure looks good enough to eat from here!

[ludja]

No idea why my merenge refused to brown anything other than the tiny peaks but this was a very very good banana pudding.  Our children we very happy with us!

...

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Sorry if I missed it, but which recipe did you try?

[NYC Mike]

We used Domestic Goddess' recipe. We forgot to buy the nilla wafers and that one had a cookie recipe too! Stand alone they are amazing sugar cookies!

-mike

[highchef]

Paula Dean makes one with chessman cookies..I think that might be a fairly good trade off especially if I sprinkle w/rum. I might need a slightly heftier cookie to take on the liquid. Otherwise, I don't remember the rest of her take on them...doesn't matter. i don't mind stealing ideas here and there if it's for the greater good.

[Toliver]

Paula Dean makes one with chessman cookies..I think that might be a fairly good trade off especially if I sprinkle w/rum. I might need a slightly heftier cookie to take on the liquid. Otherwise, I don't remember the rest of her take on them...doesn't matter. i don't mind stealing ideas here and there if it's for the greater good.

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Paula Deen's "Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding" is quite good though bordering on being quite Sandra Lee-ish.

As long as you're spinning the dish (borrowing the best elements from the original classic), now I'm wondering if you could do something like a banana pudding tiramisu, using rum or banana liqueur perhaps.

The permutations are endless...

[annecros]

Paula Dean makes one with chessman cookies..I think that might be a fairly good trade off especially if I sprinkle w/rum. I might need a slightly heftier cookie to take on the liquid. Otherwise, I don't remember the rest of her take on them...doesn't matter. i don't mind stealing ideas here and there if it's for the greater good.

←

Paula Deen's "Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding" is quite good though bordering on being quite Sandra Lee-ish.

As long as you're spinning the dish (borrowing the best elements from the original classic), now I'm wondering if you could do something like a banana pudding tiramisu, using rum or banana liqueur perhaps.

The permutations are endless...

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Wow, tiramisu was what I was thinking with the coconut milk (or cream of coconut) and rum permutation I was considering.

Crunch up the cookies and make them drunk. Nothing wrong with that.

[Pyewacket]

I can live without banana pudding. First pimento cheese and now banana pudding.

Fine with me. That leaves more for the rest of us!

I make banana pudding (multiple pans) for our Memorial Day Pig Pickin' every year. In trying to find the best recipe I stumbled upon thickening with flour and a bit of cornstarch and, of course, lots of egg yolks. The combination of the two thickeners really works well with the cornstarch contributing a silkiness that's really nice and the flour maintaining the thickness after baking the meringue and chilling. The second exposure to heat seems to make the custard watery if using only cornstarch.

I know this is not traditionally southern, but I also use vanilla beans instead of extract.

[NYC Mike]

The second exposure to heat seems to make the custard watery if using only cornstarch.

Since we made a big batch it went in and out of the fridge more than a few times before last licks. I did notice this happening near the end. Nice little tweek thanks.

Son #2 is 3 yrs old and when our backs were turned he got into the fridge with a big open paw and went to town on the pudding. Reminded me of Bill Cosby's son "but I was getting a cookie for you."

-Mike

[judiu]

The second exposure to heat seems to make the custard watery if using only cornstarch.

Since we made a big batch it went in and out of the fridge more than a few times before last licks. I did notice this happening near the end. Nice little tweek thanks.

Son #2 is 3 yrs old and when our backs were turned he got into the fridge with a big open paw and went to town on the pudding. Reminded me of Bill Cosby's son "but I was getting a cookie for you."

-Mike

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That being the case, I'd eschew the use of rum in the pudding, unless you NEED to knock him out...

[carpetbagger, esq.]

fyi, the belle meade cafeteria, referenced earlier in the thread, closed recently: tennessean article

[mukki]

I don't know why, but I keep wondering as I read this thread, how I could incorporate a wee bit o rum in there??

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You should just be able to stir in a few spoonfuls of rum when the pudding comes off the heat, just like adding vanilla at the end. As long as you don't add too much, it shouldn't change the texture of the pudding.

[Keith Orr]

I like to use a bit of bourbon in my banana pudding - I spritz it on the vanilla wafers - gets them a boozy head start on melting in to the pudding.

[racheld]

I like to use a bit of bourbon in my banana pudding - I spritz it on the vanilla wafers  - gets them a boozy head start on melting in to the pudding.

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Oh, you sneaky bird! Bananas Foster Brooks.

[Keith Orr]

I like to use a bit of bourbon in my banana pudding - I spritz it on the vanilla wafers  - gets them a boozy head start on melting in to the pudding.

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Oh, you sneaky bird! Bananas Foster Brooks.

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That sounds better than "Redneck Triffle" which is how I normally refer to it.