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Banana Pudding
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Banana Pudding With Caramelized Bananas and Bourbon Banana Sauce

There is a deep, rich banana flavor to this banana pudding. It is crammed full of ripe, soft bananas in every component, which gives it a natural sweetness that is complimented by the bourbon and caramel flavors.
Author: Zoë François

Ingredients

Pudding

  • 5 large egg yolks
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 2 very ripe bananas, pureed
  • 2 cups half and half
  • 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
  • 2 tbsp butter

Caramelized Bananas and Sauce

  • 2 barely ripe bananas too soft and they'll fall apart while cooking
  • ½ cup brown sugar, well packed
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • ½ vanilla bean, split and scraped
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp bourbon
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream

Instructions

Pudding

  • Heat the half and half, 1/4 cup of the sugar, and vanilla bean in a non-reactive pan over medium low heat, unitl just simmering.
  • Whisk together the egg yolks, remaining sugar, cornstarch and banana puree. Once the milk simmers, add a small amount of the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture to warm the yolks.
  • Return the yolk/banana mixture to the pan of milk and bring the mixture to a boil. Whisk continuously for 3 minutes. (This is very important or it will feel grainy.)The pudding may get thick before the 3 minutes are up, but keep whisking.
  • Once the pudding has been boiling for 3 minutes, whisk in the butter.
  • Pour into a non-reactive shallow dish and cover with plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding.

Bananas and Sauce

  • In a skillet heat the brown sugar, butter,  vanilla bean, salt and bourbon. (NOT the cream yet!) over medium until the mixture melts and is just beginning to smoke.
  • Slice the bananas into 1/4 inch thick coins and add to the caramel. Gently toss them in the caramel.
  • Once they have softened slightly and have taken on some of the caramel color, remove the bananas with a fork and set them aside.
  • Add the heavy cream to the remaining caramel and whisk until smooth.
  • Spoon the bananas and caramel over the pudding and serve with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipping cream and vanilla wafers.