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Better Than Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 129 reviews

This Better Than Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding is a rich and creamy layered dessert featuring silky homemade pastry cream, fluffy meringue, ripe bananas, and crispy Nilla wafers. Perfectly balanced between sweet and smooth textures, this pudding is assembled in multiple layers and chilled until set, delivering a luscious treat that’s remarkably easy to make at home.

Ingredients

Scale

Pastry Cream

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 2 tsp vanilla paste or pure vanilla extract
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 tsp banana or pure vanilla extract

Meringue

  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 4 large egg whites
  • 3/4 tsp cream of tartar

Assembly

  • 1 (11-oz) box Nilla wafers
  • 5 ripe bananas, sliced into 1/4“-thick coins
  • 2 large piping bags

Instructions

  1. Prepare Pastry Cream: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm the whole milk and vanilla paste until it is just about to simmer. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and granulated sugar until pale, thick, and creamy, about one minute. Add cornstarch and whisk until smooth and free of lumps. While whisking constantly, slowly pour about one-third of the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture to temper the eggs.
  2. Cook Pastry Cream: Return the egg yolk mixture to the saucepan with the remaining hot milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, bubbles burst on the surface, and it becomes glossy—approximately one minute. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl, then cover with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold, about one hour.
  3. Finish Pastry Cream: Using a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat the heavy cream in a large bowl until stiff peaks form, about three minutes. Add the cooled pastry cream, sweetened condensed milk, and banana extract, then beat until medium peaks form, for about one minute more. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
  4. Make the Meringue Syrup: In a small high-sided saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer, combine sugar and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring gently until sugar dissolves, about three minutes. Stop stirring and allow syrup to boil until the thermometer reads 240°F (115°C).
  5. Beat Egg Whites: Meanwhile, in a large bowl, use a handheld mixer (or stand mixer with whisk attachment) to beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Timing is important—have the egg whites ready as soon as the syrup hits 240°F.
  6. Incorporate Hot Syrup: Reduce mixer speed to low and carefully pour the hot sugar syrup into the beaten egg whites in a thin, steady stream, aiming for the side of the bowl to avoid splattering. Increase speed to high and continue beating until meringue cools to room temperature and becomes stiff and glossy, about 8 to 10 minutes.
  7. Assemble the Pudding: In a 3-quart trifle dish, arrange about 10 Nilla wafers in a single layer, then top with a layer of banana slices. Transfer pastry cream and meringue into two separate piping bags and snip off the corners. Pipe about 1/2 cup of pastry cream over bananas to cover them, followed by about 1/3 cup meringue over the cream. Repeat layering 6 to 7 times, finishing by piping remaining meringue on top in decorative shapes.
  8. Optional Toasting and Setting: If desired, toast the meringue top using a kitchen torch until golden brown. Refrigerate the assembled pudding until set, for at least 5 hours and up to 12 hours, before serving.

Notes

  • For best flavor, use ripe bananas but not overly mushy to keep slices intact.
  • Tempering eggs with hot milk prevents curdling and ensures smooth pastry cream.
  • Cover pastry cream with plastic wrap directly on the surface to avoid a skin forming.
  • If you don’t have a kitchen torch, the pudding can be served without toasting the meringue.
  • Use fresh egg whites for the best meringue volume and stability.
  • Chilling the assembled pudding allows flavors to meld and texture to firm up before serving.

Keywords: banana pudding, magnolia bakery style, layered dessert, homemade pastry cream, meringue topping, Nilla wafers, easy banana dessert

Find it online: https://thefoodrecipe.com/better-than-magnolia-bakery-banana-pudding-recipe/