Description
Southern comfort meets creamy indulgence in this classic banana pudding. Layered with silky custard, ripe bananas, and crumbled peanut butter cookies, each spoonful offers a nostalgic journey through sweet, rich flavors you’ll savor.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients (Pudding Base):
- 7 large, very ripe bananas (lightly speckled)
- 3 cups (710 milliliters) whole milk
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) heavy whipping cream
- 6 large egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons (45 grams) unsalted butter
Sweeteners and Stabilizers:
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (60 grams) cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Peanut Butter Cookie Ingredients:
- 1 cup (240 grams) creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Purée 4 ripe bananas using an immersion blender, stand blender, or food processor until achieving a silky smooth consistency.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, whisk together milk (473 milliliters or ), heavy cream (237 milliliters or ), granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt until the mixture begins to simmer and slightly thicken.
- Remove the pan from heat; gently incorporate banana purée, followed by unsalted butter and egg yolks. Return to heat while continuously whisking until the mixture reaches a gentle simmer, cooking for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Enhance pudding’s texture by straining the mixture through a fine wire mesh strainer into a bowl nestled within an ice bath, ensuring rapid cooling and smooth consistency.
- After straining, fold in pure vanilla extract, whisking thoroughly for approximately 2 minutes. Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours until completely chilled.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius), preparing two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- In a medium mixing bowl, cream together peanut butter and sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until fully integrated.
- Incorporate a single egg and vanilla extract, blending until the mixture becomes uniform and smooth.
- Shape the dough into tablespoon-sized balls, placing them approximately one inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Gently flatten each ball using fork tines, creating a distinctive crisscross pattern.
- Bake cookies for 10-11 minutes, allowing them to cool on the baking sheets for five minutes before transferring to wire racks for complete cooling.
- Crush three-quarters of the baked cookies either manually or by pulsing briefly in a food processor to achieve desired crumb texture.
- Slice the remaining three bananas into even, uniform pieces for layering.
- Choose a large trifle dish or individual dessert cups based on preferred serving style.
- Construct layers beginning with a sprinkle of cookie crumbs, followed by pudding and banana slices. Repeat the layering process, concluding with a generous topping of cookie crumbs and whole cookies for decorative presentation.
- Optional: Garnish with freshly whipped cream between layers or atop the dessert for added richness and visual appeal.
Notes
- Personalize your pudding adventure by transforming classic banana dessert into a crunchy, creamy masterpiece.
- Crushing peanut butter cookies adds unexpected texture and rich, nutty undertones that elevate the traditional banana pudding experience.
- Straining the pudding mixture ensures silky-smooth consistency, preventing any potential lumps from disrupting your dessert’s luxurious mouthfeel.
- Chilling the pudding thoroughly allows flavors to meld and develop, creating a more complex and delightful taste profile.
- Layering technique matters: strategic placement of cookie crumbs, banana slices, and pudding creates visual appeal and guarantees delicious bites throughout.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Blending, Simmering, Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 650 kcal
- Sugar: 46g
- Sodium: 160mg
- Fat: 36g
- Saturated Fat: 17g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 70g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 13g
- Cholesterol: 120mg