BEST banana pudding EVER! Recipe included

I love banana pudding but not just any old pudding will do.  Most restaurant banana pudding uses a boxed mix for the pudding or even worse, canned vanilla pudding which has the consistency of things I'd rather not mention in a public forum!

I grew up eating banana pudding as a staple of my southern diet. It was usually made on Sundays or holidays like 4th of July or Memorial day, sometimes even for funeral wakes. I even requested it for one of my birthdays instead of cake!

If you are a connoisseur of pork bar-b-que then you will most likely find 'nanner' pudding on any que restaurant's menu that has any worth at all.

I baked a nanner pudding today, as I have for as long as I can remember, because it is the USA's 'independence' day today, oft called the 4th of July. It honors the freedoms fought for and won by people who wanted a better place to live and raise their children without fear of retributions about what they had to say or what religion they chose to believe in. It is what our men and women are overseas for right now, they are trying to help others achieve the same thing for their country. 

I thought I'd share my recipe for what I believe to be the best ever nanner pudding in the world! :0)  Here's a photo of mine --

PEARLS' BANANA PUDDING

Ingredients:

1 12 ounce box MINI size Nilla Vanilla wafer cookies

4 medium or 3 large bananas (do not use overripe bananas for this dessert)

1 cup granulated white sugar

pinch of salt

5 tablespoons plain white flour

3 egg yolks (reserve the whites)

2 cups milk (you can use whole or 2%)

1/2 stick butter, melted (margarine will work also)

1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring

1/2 teaspoon butter flavoring

2 teaspoons vanilla extract


For meringue:

3 egg whites

4 teaspoons sugar

pinch of cream of tartar (if you don't have this it isn't essential)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

In a large casserole dish, at least 5 quarts, pour 3/4 of a box of the mini Nilla wafers, slice the bananas into the same dish, slices should be approximately 1/4 inch, stir gently to mix the wafers and bananas, set aside.

In the top of a double boiler or a heavy bottomed 1 1/2 qt. pot place the egg yolks, melted butter, milk, flavorings and extract.

In a medium bowl place the flour, sugar and salt, stir thoroughly to combine.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit or 163 Celsius.

When the mixture in the pot has started to steam whisk in the dry ingredients and continue to stir until the mixture reaches the consistency of pudding, remove from heat and pour over the bananas and wafers. Gently fold the pudding into the bananas and wafers.

Beat the egg whites till almost to the stiff stage, toss in the sugar and vanilla and continue to beat till the whites form peaks. Spread meringue over the pudding completely covering to the edges. Place into preheated oven and bake 15-20 minutes or until the meringue has turned a deep golden color. Cool to room temp before serving. Chill leftovers.

Makes approximately 12 servings.  (I tore this recipe from my local newspaper years ago, it is attributed to a woman born in 1912 by the name of Pearl Weaver.)