Southern Banana Pudding Recipe: Creamy Silky Dessert in 30 Minutes

Instructions:

1. Whisk the base. In a medium heavy bottomed saucepan, whisk together the whole milk, sugar, and cornstarch until no lumps remain. Note: This prevents grainy pudding later.
2. Thicken the mixture. Bring the milk mixture to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly until the liquid coats the whisk and bubbles slowly.
3. Prepare the eggs. In a separate heat proof bowl, whisk the three egg yolks until they are smooth and pale yellow.
4. Temper the yolks. Slowly drizzle one cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks while whisking vigorously until the bowl feels warm to the touch. Note: This prevents the eggs from scrambling.
5. Final custard cook. Pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan and cook for 2 more minutes until the custard is thick enough to leave a trail when a spoon is drawn through it.
6. Flavor and cool. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla bean paste. Transfer to a bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface until completely cold.
7. Aeratethe base. Whisk the sweetened condensed milk and Greek yogurt into the cold custard until the mixture looks glossy and smooth.
8. Whip the cream. In a separate cold bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form and it holds its shape on the beaters.
9. Fold it in. Gently fold the whipped cream into the custard base using a spatula until no white streaks remain, maintaining the airy volume.
10. Layer the dish. Arrange wafers and sliced bananas in your dish, immediately covering them with custard until the dish is full and the top is smooth. > Chef's Tip: Freeze your metal whisk and mixing bowl for 10 minutes before whipping the heavy cream. This ensures the fat molecules stay cold and bond together faster, giving you much stiffer peaks that won't deflate during the folding process. Another trick I learned the hard way is to slice your bananas as you go. If you slice all five bananas at the start, the ones at the bottom of the pile will be brown before they ever touch the custard. Keeping them in their skins until the exact moment of layering is the best way to ensure that fresh look. If you love this custard style, you should definitely check out my [Warm Lemon Pudding Cake](https://cookingwithkendra.net/recipes/warm-lemon-pudding-cake/) which uses a similar aeration principle for a totally different flavor profile. Easy Homemade Banana Bliss Extract: Infuse Ripe Bananas for Flavor — Looking to Infuse Ripe Bananas for Homemade Extract? This simple recipe unloc...How to Make French Toast Banana Coconut Delight: A Tropical Treat! — Ever wondered how to brighten up your mornings? My French Toast Banana Coconu...Classic Peanut Butter Pie for 10 Servings — Make the ultimate classic Peanut Butter Pie recipe featuring a buttery graham... $img_2$