Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding

Bryan And Laura Foltz, Dessert, Family

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups sugar

3 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups milk

3 eggs, separated

1 teaspoon vanilla

Vanilla wafers

4 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced

1 cup heavy cream, optional

Directions

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup of the sugar with the flour and salt, mixing well. Add the milk gradually, stirring constantly to mix well. Place over medium heat and cook until the mixture is thickened, stiring constantly. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks until smooth and lemon colored. Stir a small amount of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks, then stir the egg yolks into the hot milk. Stir in the vanilla. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Place the egg whites in a small mixer bowl. Beat on high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. While beating, gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the pudding base.

Have ready a 1 1 /2 quart trifle dish or other deep dish with straight sides. Line the bottom of the dish with vanilla wafers. Top with a layer of pudding and a layer of bananas. Repeat with a second layer of vanilla wafers, pudding, and bananas. Top with a final layer of pudding.

Decorate with vanilla wafers around the edge of the bowl. Chill until serving time. Just before serving, whip the cream, if desired, and dollop on top of the pudding.