This might be my favorite recipe from Cooking Light. It takes a little while to make, but it is worth it. I make mine with real vanilla bean because it gives the pudding a wonderful flavor. If you chose not to use a real vanilla bean, you can substitute 1/2 Tbs. of vanilla extract. Eat it cool or warm. This recipe makes a lot of pudding, so be sure and invite your friends over for a taste!
Yield: 16 servings (1 serving = 3/4 cup)
Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 4 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
- 1 (4-inch) vanilla bean, split lengthwise
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 4 large egg whites
- 6 tbsp. sugar
- 1 box vanilla wafers (about 80 wafers)
- 5 cups sliced banana (about 6 bananas)
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees
- Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, level with a knife. Combine flour, 1 1/4 cups sugar and salt in a large saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add milk, stirring until smooth. Scrape seeds from the vanilla bean, and add seands and bean to milk mixture.
- Cook over medium heat 12 minutes or until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly.
- Place eggs in a large bowl, gradually add hot milk mixtures, stirring constantly. Place mixture in pan; cook over medium heat 2 minutes or until thick and bubby, stirring constantly. Discard vanilla bean.
- Place egg whites in a clean, large bowl, and beat with a mixer at high speed until egg whites are foamy. Add 6 tbsp. sugar, 1 tbsp. at a time, beating until stiff peaks form.
- Arrange 1/3 of your vanilla wafers in the bottom of a 3-quart round baking dish. Arrange half of banana slices over wafers. Pour half of custard over banana. Repeat layers with the next 1/3 of vanila wafers, second half of banana slices, and second half of custard. Top with meringue, spreading evenly to the edges of your dish. Arrange remaining vanilla wafers around the edge of the meringue.
- Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve pudding warm or chilled.
Mmmmm…hot vanilla pudding!
I am trying this tomorrow.
A 4 inch vanilla bean is not A-grade quality. Beans of that length are often are poor in flavor. A better choice is to use a 4 inch piece of a larger bean.
Please stay away from the beans in a bottle at the super market for $14.
A-grade beans are at least 14cm or 5.5 inches. We stock 16-18 cm (6-7inches)
Four inches or ~10 cm is equivalent to a TBS of 1x extract.
That stated 1/2 TSP of extract would be too little.
I will report back after I try this recipe. Cant’t wait!