Banana pudding

Since I returned from Tuscaloosa, I've been dreaming of Dreamland's banana pudding.  If you've never been to Dreamland or heard of it, it started as a small cafe just south of Tuscaloosa that was best known for it's ribs and it's bread.  The ribs are outstanding, for sure, but it's the banana pudding that has me wishing I could go back for more. 

Dreamland does their banana pudding the traditional way- served with vanilla wafer cookies, sliced bananas, vanilla pudding and fresh whipped cream.  And you can really tell that the pudding is made the traditional way.  It's creamy, it's bursting with flavor and it melts in your mouth.  It's heaven in banana pudding world.

Pudding is basically a form of custard.  It's easy to make and it doesn't require many strange ingredients, but it does require patience and at least 10 minutes of your time where you can stand at the stove and stir, stir, stir. 

You won't find many bakeries that serve pudding as it's a custard that will only hold for about three days, and banana pudding is even more rare.  Pie bakeries across the states are beginning to pay homage to the banana creme pie, which is essentially banana pudding in a pie shell, but this special dessert is primarily a southern treat.

Still, if you find yourself craving banana pudding and remembering how your Mom used to make it for you, Sugar Love can help you out.  First, a recipe for banana pudding:

Ingredients:
1 Ripe banana
1/2 cup Sugar
2 Tbsp Cornstarch
1/8 tsp Salt
6 Egg yolks
2 1/2 cups Half and half
1 tsp Vanilla extract
2 Tbsp Butter

Method:
1. Peel banana and place in microwave safe bowl.  Microwave on high for 30 seconds.  Mash banana, strain juices through fine sieve, reserving banana itself and set aside.

2.  In large bowl, stir together sugar, cornstarch and salt.  Whisk in egg yolks.

3.  Bring the milk, vanilla and banana juice to a boil over medium heat.  SLOWLY pour the hot milk into the eggs in thirds, whisking constantly.  Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture just reaches a boil.  Strain into bowl, stir in butter.  

4.  Allow to cool a little, then stir in the mashed banana.  Cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours.

I must stress that you have to stir the whole time, otherwise you are likely going to burn your pudding, and burnt pudding is just no good.  

Now, the easy thing to do to serve your banana pudding would be to line a small goblet glass or wine glass with vanilla wafers and sliced, fresh banana, top with chilled pudding and serve with a dollop of fresh whipped cream (easy recipe here).

I recommend making a homemade vanilla wafer type cookie that takes the form of a homemade fortune cookie (recipe here), then adding the fresh, sliced banana and whipped cream.

Don't want to make your own?  Then just head south to Tuscaloosa for the weekend.