Martha Stewart Banana Cream Pudding

Martha Stewart Banana Cream Pudding turns egg yolk custard, ripe bananas and vanilla wafers into a creamy layered trifle dessert in 7 hours with chilling. Save this easy dessert for potlucks, birthday parties or Sunday dinner, because it's a make-ahead showstopper that feeds 12 people.

Press plastic wrap right onto the hot custard and chill it for a full 2 hours before you assemble anything. Skip that and the warm pudding melts the whipped cream and turns the wafers to mush.

Martha cooks a chopped banana right into the custard, then strains it out, so the whole pudding tastes of banana and not just the slices. Layering it in one big glass bowl, instead of small cups, also gives you a dessert that shows off every stripe.

Martha Stewart Banana Cream Pudding

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Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

1

hour 

Cooking time

10

minutes

Calories

520

kcal

A silky strained custard, whipped cream and soft vanilla wafers stack up in layers with fresh banana slices. After a long chill, the cookies soften into a spoonable, cake-like texture.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  

• 8 large egg yolks
  

• 1/4 cup cornstarch
  

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  

• 5 cups milk
  

• 6 large ripe bananas, peeled
  

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  

• 2 cups heavy cream
  

• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
  

• 65 wafer-style vanilla cookies, such as Nilla Wafers (from one 11-ounce box), plus more for crushing on top
  

Directions

• Prep the bananas: Chop 1 banana and thinly slice the other 5, then set them aside. Set a fine-mesh sieve over a medium heatproof bowl so it's ready later.
• Whisk the custard base: Whisk 1 1/4 cups sugar, 8 egg yolks, 1/4 cup cornstarch and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a medium saucepan. Keep whisking until no streaks of yolk remain.
• Add milk and banana: Whisk 5 cups milk into the egg mixture until smooth. Then stir in the chopped banana.
• Thicken the custard: Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and bubbles, about 8 minutes. Then reduce the heat to medium-low and whisk for 1 more minute.
• Strain and chill: Pour the custard through the sieve, pushing extra liquid through with a spatula, and discard the solids. Stir in 4 tablespoons butter and 2 teaspoons vanilla, then press plastic wrap onto the surface and refrigerate about 2 hours until completely cool.
• Whip the cream: Beat 2 cups heavy cream with 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar in a large bowl until firm peaks form. Keep it in the fridge until you start layering.
• Start layering: Whisk the chilled pudding until smooth, then spoon about 1 cup into the bottom of a large glass bowl. Layer half of the 65 vanilla wafers over it, slightly overlapping, then half of the sliced bananas.
• Finish the layers: Top with about 2 cups pudding and half of the whipped cream. Repeat with the remaining cookies, bananas, pudding and cream.
• Chill and serve: Refrigerate at least 4 hours, or covered up to overnight, until set. Right before serving, garnish with crushed wafers and serve cold.

Tools for this recipe

• Anchor Hocking 104 oz glass trifle bowl with lid, Cuisinart fine mesh strainer set, Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 3-quart saucepan, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, 8 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use other cookies instead of vanilla wafers?

Vanilla wafers work best, since they soften into a cake-like layer. In a pinch, butter cookies or graham crackers will do, but they're thicker, so the texture comes out a little different.

How far ahead can I make banana cream pudding?

Make it at least 4 hours ahead so it can set, and no more than 12 hours before serving. Any longer and the wafers turn soggy. Hold off on the crushed cookie topping until you serve it.

How long do leftovers keep, and can I freeze them?

Cover leftovers with plastic wrap, or move a smaller amount to an airtight container, and refrigerate up to 2 days. The cookies keep softening as they sit. It doesn't freeze well, so don't try.

Do the bananas really need to be ripe?

Yes, ripe bananas are sweeter and blend into the custard flavor. Underripe ones are hard and bitter, and they'll taste off in the finished pudding.

Can I make this in individual cups?

You can layer it into glass dessert bowls or cups, but it takes more time. One big glass or trifle bowl shows off the layers and makes a better grand finale at the table.