Debbi's Banana Pudding

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 6 large egg yolks, at room temperature (save egg whites to use later in recipe)
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, divided
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon, rind of, grated fresh
• 6 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 40 vanilla wafer cookies, for layering
• 40 lemon snap cookies, for layering
• 6 medium bananas, for layering (ripe please)

Recipe

• 1 for pastry cream: in heavy medium-size saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt.
• 2 slowly stir in the half-and-half until smooth.
• 3 place the pan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture begins to boil.
• 4 lower the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes.
• 5 in a bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks.
• 6 slowly pour half of the hot cream mixture over the yolks and whisk to combine.
• 7 return the mixture to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly and being sure to stir the bottom and sides of the pan for about 5 minutes, until the cream thickens and just starts to"steam".
• 8 do not let it boil.
• 9 it should heavily coat the back of the spoon.
• 10 remove the pan from the heat.
• 11 stir in 2 teaspoons of the vanilla and lemon juice.
• 12 strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, stir in the lemon peel, and place the bowl on a rack to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming.
• 13 cover the bowl and chill it for about 1 hour, or until cold.
• 14 preheat the oven to 425°f.
• 15 butter the baking dish.
• 16 assembly: cover the bottom of the prepared baking dish with a layer of vanilla cookies and a layer of lemon cookies, using a third of the cookies in all.
• 17 line the sides of the dish with vanilla cookies.
• 18 slice 2 of the bananas and arrange them over the wafers.
• 19 top the bananas with a third of the chilled pastry cream.
• 20 make 2 more layers with the remaining cookies, bananas and pastry cream, ending with pastry cream.
• 21 make the meringue: put the egg whites in a bowl and beat until frothy using electric mixer on medium speed.
• 22 add the cream of tartar and beat until stiff peaks form.
• 23 slowly beat in the sugar until stiff peaks form.
• 24 fold the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla in gently.
• 25 spread the meringue over the pastry cream, sealing the edges to the rim of the dish.
• 26 place the pudding in the preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the meringue is golden brown.
• 27 remove to wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, then refrigerate it for 3 to 4 hours before serving.