Grandma's Banana Pudding

My grandma ran a country club and a restaurant in her day. She can make amazing food, but sometimes it's hard to get a recipe from her because she doesn't measure anything and makes everything from memory. While letting her talk it out, I was able to get this banana pudding and a few other recipes written down. Enjoy!

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Calories: 487 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup white sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 4 egg whites
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cups milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 5 tablespoons white sugar
• 4 bananas, sliced, or more to taste
• 1 (12 ounce) package vanilla wafers, divided

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Step 2

Line the bottom of a baking dish with some wafers. Combine sugar, flour, and salt in a bowl.

Step 3

Beat yolks in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar mixture alternately with milk and vanilla extract, stirring constantly. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add butter; continue stirring until thickened to a pudding-like consistency, 5 to 7 minutes more.

Step 4

Layer a portion of banana slices over the wafers and cover with pudding. Repeat layers with remaining bananas, wafers, and pudding.

Step 5

Beat egg whites in a glass, metal, or ceramic bowl, gradually adding cream of tartar, until soft peaks form. Add sugar and continue beating on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold in vanilla extract. Spoon meringue over the pudding.

Step 6

Bake in the preheated oven until meringue browns, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool before serving.