Banana Pudding w/Homemade Vanilla Pudding
10 Very Ripe Banana, slice as you are putting them over the wafers
Vanilla Wafers, 2 boxes if using cheap because they tend to be smaller.
2 Egg Whites
1/2 - 1 tsp. Cream of Tartar
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
1/4 Water, optional
2/3 c. Granulated Sugar
2 T. Cornstarch
2 c. Whole Milk
2 Egg Yolks, beaten
2 T. Butter
1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
In a 2-quart microwavable bowl, combine the sugar and cornstarch, mix well, then stir in the milk.
Microwave for 6.5 to 7.5 minutes,or until thick and bubbly; stir the mixture 3 times during cooking.
Temper the beaten eggs yolks by quickly stirring in a small amount of the milk mixture to them.
Pour the egg mixture into the remaining milk mixture and stir well.
Microwave on high for 1 additional minute, stirring twice.
Carefully remove the bowl fro the microwave and add the butter and vanilla, stirring until the butter has melted.
Layer wafers in the bottom of desired pan;
Layer sliced bananas over wafers;
Spoon a layer of pudding over banana-wafer layers
Repeat until the pan is full or ingredients run out.
Preheat oven to 425'F.
Whip egg whites to froathy stage; add cream of tartar; whip to soft peaks.
Slowly add granulate sugar until you have medium peaks - you can stop now and use them this way or you can continue until your egg whites are firm.
Spread over pudding layers and bake for 5 - 10 minutes or until meringue is evenly brown - DO NOT leave while this is in the oven as meringue can and will burn quickly.
Pour sugar and water in a small sauce pan and boil sugar down until it has dissolve and thickened somewhat, but is still loose.
Follow the method above to the adding the dry sugar stage - very slowly add the sugar-water mixture to your meringue.
Continue on with the remaining steps and enjoy!
300'F for 10 minutes or less for browned meringue tips; longer for overall browning.
The lower temperature gives you some wiggle room where burning is concerned and if you can get the meringue hot enough all the way through without burning the top, this method would certainly handle any concerns about using raw eggs.
Yeild: At least 8 servings.
NOTE: This looks like a lot of work, but it really isn't. After about a day or so, Banana pudding separates, and the combo of homemade vanilla pudding and the sugar-water method seems to cut down on that problem tremedously.
