Desserts
Coconut Banana Pudding
Simple, comforting, and timeless, there is no better finish to any meal than a few bites of this classic Southern dessert.
Sweet, creamy, and full of contrasting textures, banana pudding is an all-occasion dessert. It’s classy enough for a sit-down dinner yet casual enough for cookouts (and that’s exactly where you’ll find large bowls of it in the southern United States).
While the actual pudding in classic banana pudding isn’t banana-flavored at all (vanilla pudding with fresh bananas and vanilla wafers is the norm), the homemade pudding in this one includes two kinds of coconut — canned coconut milk and thick, sugary cream of coconut. Top it all with airy coconut whipped cream.
And don’t get fussy about the layering or the serving dish. This dessert works in nearly any large vessel. The only thing you must do is make it a few hours before serving it, so the vanilla wafers have time to slightly soften in the pudding
Ingredients
FOR THE PUDDING, HEAT:
WHISK:
OFF HEAT, STIR IN:
TO ASSEMBLE, LAYER:
FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM, BEAT:
Test Kitchen Tips
So they’re soft, slightly sweet, and don’t break down completely in the pudding, choose bananas with just a few brown specks on their peels.
MINI-MIZE IT
Downsizing the pudding into individual servings, or parfaits, definitely lends an air of fanciness. You can use any size containers you’d like, just make sure they’re clear or glass to show off the layers. If your vessels of choice happen to be slender or narrow, mini vanilla wafers are perfect for layering. If you can’t locate minis, halving standardsized wafers works, too.
Instructions
For the pudding, heat coconut milk and whole milk in a saucepan over medium until it steams.
Whisk together 1 cup cream of coconut, cornstarch, egg yolks, and salt until smooth. While whisking, gradually pour in half the hot milk mixture. Pour egg-milk mixture back into pan and cook over medium until thick. Boil pudding 1 minute more, whisking constantly, to eliminate any starchy taste.
Off heat, stir in butter and vanilla until butter melts. Transfer pudding to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it on the surface. Chill pudding until cool.
To assemble, layer banana slices on bottom of a 5-qt. trifle dish (or glass bowl). Top banana with a third of the pudding and a layer of wafers. Repeat layering two times, top with final layer of bananas, cover, and chill until cold.
For the whipped cream, beat heavy cream and ½ cup cream of coconut with a mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Top dessert with whipped cream and garnish with toasted coconut.
To keep the egg mixture from curdling, temper it by whisking in enough milk mixture to warm it.
Pressing plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding keeps a skin from forming while chilling.
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional Facts
Per serving
Calories: 395
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 26g 40%
Saturated Fat 19g 95%
Cholesterol 97mg 32%
Sodium 105mg 4%
Carbs 38g 12%
Fiber 2g 8%
Protein 3g
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.