Dolly Parton’s Banana Pudding

Ingredients

• 0.75 cup granulated sugar (For the pudding)
• 0.25 cup all-purpose flour
• salt (A pinch)
• 2.5 cup milk (The transcript calls this “moo juice”)
• 4 egg yolks (One yolk plus three additional yolks; reserve the whites for the meringue)
• 0.25 cup butter (Half a stick)
• vanilla extract (A generous amount; exact quantity was not stated)
• 1 box vanilla wafer cookies (The transcript sounds like “Nilla wafers”; exact box size was not stated)
• 4 bananas (Sliced for layering)
• 3 egg whites (Reserved from the eggs used for the pudding)
• 1.5 tbsp granulated sugar (For the meringue; use 1–2 tablespoons as stated)

Steps

1. 1

   Place the sugar, flour, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Add the milk and whisk the mixture together until smooth.

2. 2

   Set the saucepan over medium heat and continue whisking. Cook until the mixture is hot and nearly boiling, but do not allow it to boil before the eggs are incorporated.

3. 3

   In a separate bowl, beat the four egg yolks together. Gradually whisk some of the hot milk mixture into the yolks, then return the tempered egg mixture to the saucepan while whisking continuously.

4. 4

   Continue cooking the custard over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it becomes noticeably thick. Cook for a few additional minutes so the flour is fully cooked out.

5. 5

   Add the butter to the hot custard. Stir until the butter has completely melted, then turn off the heat.

6. 6

   Stir in a generous amount of vanilla. Let the pudding cool slightly.

7. 7

   Arrange alternating layers of vanilla wafers and sliced bananas in a dish that holds about 8 cups. Begin and end with the wafer-and-banana layers as appropriate for the dish.

8. 8

   Strain the slightly cooled pudding through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any lumps. Pour the smooth pudding over the wafer and banana layers.

9. 9

   Beat the three reserved egg whites with 1–2 tablespoons of sugar until the meringue is stiff and glossy.

10. 10

    Spread the meringue over the pudding, covering the surface.

11. 11

    Bake on the top rack at 350°F (175°C) just until the meringue is nicely browned. The transcript does not specify an exact baking time, so watch it closely.

12. 12

    Cool the pudding enough to serve, then spoon it into portions.

Notes

The transcript does not specify the exact amount of vanilla, the wafer-box size, or the baking time. Watch the meringue rather than relying on a fixed time; remove the pudding when the topping is attractively browned.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• American
• baked
• comfort food
• banana dessert
• old-fashioned
• meringue
• vegetarian