We should rename this recipe Goldilocks Pudding! My mother’s notes say she made several attempts at my dad’s favorite dessert before coming up with this particular version—not too hard, not too soft. It has become a mainstay in my home, too. Garth prefers the pudding without the meringue, so I usually make two versions, one with and one without. Either way, it’s a homey, satisfying finish to any meal.

　　

Ingredients

serves 8

　　4 large eggs

　　3/4 cup sugar

　　3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　2 cups milk

　　1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

　　30–40 vanilla wafers

　　5–6 medium ripe bananas

　　Pinch of salt

　　

Step 1

Separate the yolks from the whites of 3 eggs. Set aside the whites. In the top of a double boiler, whisk together 1/2 cup of the sugar, the flour, and the salt. Stir in the whole egg and the 3 yolks, and then stir in the milk.

　　

Step 2

Cook uncovered, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, or until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

　　

Step 3

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

　　

Step 4

Spread a thin layer of pudding in a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish. Arrange a layer of vanilla wafers on top of the pudding. Thinly slice the bananas crosswise, about 1/8 inch thick, and arrange a layer of banana slices over the wafers. Spread one-third of the remaining pudding over the bananas and continue layering wafers, bananas, and pudding, ending with pudding.

　　

Step 5

To make the meringue, beat the reserved egg whites with a pinch of salt until they are stiff. Gradually beat in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue beating until the whites will not slide out of the mixing bowl when it is tilted. Spread the meringue over the pudding with a spatula, making a few decorative peaks on top, and bake for 5 minutes, or until the meringue is lightly browned.

　　

From Gwen

Step 6

Wait, if you can, to allow the wafers to become soft before serving.

　　Reprinted with permission from Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen: Recipes from My Family to Yours by Trisha Yearwood with Gwen Yearwood and Beth Yearwood Bernard. Copyright © 2008 by Trisha Yearwood. Published by Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Trisha Yearwood is a three-time Grammy-award winning country music star and the author of the bestselling cookbook Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen. She is married to megastar Garth Brooks.