This recipe was precipitated by a visit to a Q joint (Hutchins, very good Q) in McKinney, Texas by my oldest daughter and I which had some very good banana pudding for dessert. It was lighter in texture and just plain better than your run of the mill BP. Quite a while back I had some at a local restaurant which was even more "airy". I all but begged on bended knee for the recipe but the owner wouldn't divulge it and I won't divulge what I privately called her . Unfortunately, the restaurant went out of business and that recipe is beyond my reach forever.

Back home from the Q joint, I found dozens of variations of this basic recipe on the web and I convinced my daughter to make this one. It is quite good, about as good or maybe better than the Q joint's above, but not quite as good as the "airy" one. However, it's good enough that we haven't experimented further to get more "fluff" in it.

Sorry about no pics, but if you need pics to follow these directions, get your wife to make it.

This is a simple (my favorite kind) recipe but the result is better than most banana puddings you will find.

Ingredients:

14 oz sweetened condensed milk

1 1/2 cups cold water

1 box Jello Instant Vanilla Pudding (4 serving size)

2 Cups heavy whipping cream

2 box vanilla wafers (Nilla are best but any will do in a pinch)

3-4 or maybe 5 bananas, the riper the better as long as they're not black (too mushy), sliced into roughly 1/4 inch thick slices. The kind that are often found on sale in grocery stores because they are "too old" are perfect and usually about half price or less.

Combine condensed milk, cold water, and pudding mix in a large mixing bowl, beat on medium speed for 3 min or until smooth, then chill for a few minutes.

Whip heavy cream into stiff peaks and fold into pudding mixture.

In a largish glass bowl (or any kind of container that you want to have the pudding in, because of the layering, taller and narrower is better than short and wide, a mixing bowl is about the right shape but it's no big deal) spread 1/2 cup pudding or what is needed to thinly cover bottom of container. Top with layer of Nilla wafers, then a layer of sliced bananas, then a somewhat thicker layer of pudding, keep going until you run out with the final layer having pudding on top. Top with some crushed vanilla wafers. Chill for at least 5 hours. If you want, top with some fresh banana slices or strawberry slices before serving. Like soups, this pudding improves with age. If you can wait at least 24 hours the flavor and taste will definitely improve. We usually can't wait, as a matter of fact, once you've tried it, the five hours seems too long. If you've got room in your fridge and enough people to eat it, double the recipe, one for now, and one to age a day or two.

BTW, if made per recipe, this is quite a bit of pudding, I'd guesstimate that it would easily feed 12 people dessert, so if you have a smaller household, you might cut it in half. Of course, it has been our experience that leftovers don't last long.

Try it, you'll like it.

man, i love this stuff, but have never made it. the strawberries sound like a great variation for the topping, and we happen to have quite a few of them.

looks good, looks easy ~ will give it a shot.

thanks for posting.

quote:

Originally posted by tasunkawitko:
man, i love this stuff, but have never made it. the strawberries sound like a great variation for the topping, and we happen to have quite a few of them.

looks good, looks easy ~ will give it a shot.

thanks for posting.

tas:

I have been thinking (always dangerous) that by substituting strawberries for bananas, it might be a very good strawberry pudding, which I have really never heard of made in this manner. We make a lot of strawberry pies from time to time in season. I haven't tried it yet, and it might require some "fiddling" since, in general, strawberries are not as sweet as bananas. Making a "half" recipe might be a good start. It MIGHT not hurt to substitute half or maybe a whole box of strawberry flavored pudding mix but I don't like the somewhat artificial flavor of many of the flavored mixes (and, in particular banana) so I'd proceed with caution in that area.

Crazy idea, but what if you mixed in some whipped up egg whites to get the more "airy" sensation. Probably a dumb idea, just a thought.

quote:

BTW, if made per recipe, this is quite a bit of pudding, I'd guesstimate that it would easily feed 12 people dessert

Or 1 Sasquatch.

Seems I can never eat just one serving and if given a half hour am able to devour all of it. It was quite delicious!

Great recipes all but for the case of humor ,A heavy set fellow I used to work with would say "You know,ain't but one thing in this world better that banana pudding".....wait for the drum roll "Except pecan pie".

One thing to remember NEVER, NEVER think it will be better by subing banana pudding for the vanilla pudding insant mix. If you do this it will have a medicnal taste.