Description
Ina Garten’s banana pudding combines classic Southern comfort with elegant simplicity. Creamy layers of rich custard, fresh bananas, and vanilla wafers create a delightful dessert you’ll savor with pure pleasure.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 fresh bananas
- 1 11 oz (311 g) vanilla wafers
- 2 cups (480 ml) heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups (480 ml) cold milk
- 1 14 oz (397 g) sweetened condensed milk
- 2 (3.4 oz or 96 g each) instant vanilla pudding packages
- 3 tbsps powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Pudding Base Preparation: Whisk instant vanilla pudding mix with cold milk in a large bowl, beating continuously until smooth and thickened, then integrate sweetened condensed milk thoroughly.
- Cream Transformation: Whip heavy cream in a chilled bowl until stiff peaks form, then gently fold two-thirds into the pudding mixture, maintaining its airy texture.
- Sweetened Topping Creation: Blend powdered sugar into remaining whipped cream, creating a luxurious topping, and chill briefly.
- Layer Foundation: Construct the dessert by creating an initial base of vanilla wafers, covering the entire serving dish bottom completely.
- Banana Distribution: Strategically place banana slices across the wafer foundation, ensuring full coverage and even distribution.
- Pudding Layering: Carefully spoon the pudding mixture over banana layer, spreading evenly and creating a smooth surface. Repeat layering sequence of wafers, bananas, and pudding mixture until ingredients are exhausted.
- Final Presentation: Crown the dessert with reserved sweetened whipped cream, creating an elegant topping.
- Chilling and Setting: Refrigerate the completed banana pudding for a minimum of two hours, allowing flavors to meld and achieve optimal texture before serving.
Notes
- Chill Before Serving: Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to develop and pudding to set perfectly, enhancing overall taste and texture.
- Precision in Layering: Create even, uniform layers of wafers, bananas, and pudding to ensure balanced flavor and visual appeal in every bite.
- Whip Cream Technique: Whip heavy cream to stiff peaks carefully, maintaining its airy structure to guarantee a light, fluffy texture throughout the dessert.
- Banana Freshness: Use ripe but firm bananas to prevent browning and maintain optimal texture when layered in the pudding.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 576
- Sugar: 45 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 22 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 62 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg