Make Ahead

Banana Butterscotch Pudding

October 29, 2014
5
2 Ratings
  • Serves 12 to 15
Author Notes

This banana pudding has the same basic structure as Magnolia Bakery’s, without the instant pudding mix or sweetened condensed milk. It's got pudding, bananas, Nilla wafers, and whipped cream, but instead of vanilla pudding from a box I’ve whisked up a deeply flavorful butterscotch pudding. No need to try to bake your own cookies, though; there is no adequate substitute for Nilla wafers. —Yossy Arefi

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Butterscotch pudding:
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 1 vanilla bean
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 2 cups heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • To serve:
  • 4 bananas
  • one 12 ounce box Nilla wafers
Directions
  1. Combine the granulated sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Turn the heat up to high, then cook the sugar until it is dark amber in color. Remove the pan from the heat, then carefully whisk in the heavy cream. It will spit and sputter quite a bit, so watch your fingers!
  2. Mix the brown sugar, cornstarch, salt in a saucepan. Whisk in the milk. Cut down the length of the vanilla bean and toss that in the pan too. Turn the heat to medium high and cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until the it thickens and comes to a boil. Carefully remove the vanilla bean pod and squeeze all of the seeds into the milk. Rinse the pod and save it for another use.
  3. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and the warm caramel sauce together. Whisk the egg mixture into the milk mixture and cook over medium heat while stirring constantly until the mixture comes to a simmer. Whisk in the butter.
  4. Remove the pudding to a bowl and press a layer of plastic wrap on the surface. Chill completely.
  5. To assemble the banana pudding, whisk the chilled butterscotch pudding until smooth. Fold the heavy cream into the pudding, reserving a few spoonfuls to top the finished pudding.
  6. Layer the pudding, Nila wafers, and sliced bananas in a 9 x 13-inch dish, in a trifle dish, or in 12 individual clear glasses until all the ingredients are used up. Top with reserved whipped cream. Refrigerate the pudding for at least 1 hour before serving.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • bhilz
    bhilz
  • Sue Uhl
    Sue Uhl
  • cwya
    cwya
  • Senem Sanli
    Senem Sanli
Yossy Arefi is a photographer and stylist with a passion for food. During her stint working in restaurant kitchens, Yossy started the blog Apt. 2B Baking Co. where, with her trusty Pentax film camera, she photographs and writes about seasonal desserts and preserves. She currently lives in Brooklyn but will always love her native city of Seattle. Follow her work at apt2bbakingco.blogspot.com & yossyarefi.com.

6 Reviews

bhilz August 22, 2019
I've made this many times and it has always been a HUGE hit!! I finally have some vanilla beans to use this time, so I'm sure it's going to blow all the other versions I did with plain ol' extract completely out of the water.
 
cwya February 26, 2015
I believe there is also a mistake about adding the vanilla seeds to the milk. I assume it was meant to be milk mixture but being unsure didn't want to ruin it so left it out.
 
Senem S. February 8, 2015
just 4 egg yolks, i believe it is typed twice by mistake.
 
Sue U. November 1, 2014
How many egg yolks, 4 or 8?
 
NoONE November 15, 2014
I believe its , in the ingredient list.
 
Shai11 November 21, 2014
"4 egg yolks" are listed twice on the ingredient list, so it's a little confusing. I'd guess 4 is right.