Banana Pudding with Meringue
From: The Southern Cook's Handbook
by Courtney Taylor, Bonnie Carter Travis
(Quail Ridge Press; September 2001; ISBN:1893062295; Spiral)
Cookbook Heaven @ recipelink.com

Servings: 8

For the pudding:

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

• Dash of salt

• 4 egg yolks

• 2 cups milk

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 6 to 8 ripe bananas, sliced

• About 3 dozen vanilla wafers

For the meringue:

• 4 egg whites

• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

• 6 tablespoons sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

To prepare the pudding:

1. In a double boiler over simmering water, mix sugar, flour and salt. Beat egg yolks and combine with milk. Add yolks and milk to sugar mixture, stirring constantly to blend well. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, for 10 to 15 minutes until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

2. In a Pyrex loaf pan, make a layer of the cooked custard, then a layer of bananas, then a layer of vanilla wafers. Continue for 3 layers of each or more if ingredients permit.

To prepare the meringue:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites until frothy with an electric mixer, and then add the cream of tartar. Beat again until the whites stand in soft peaks that fall over when the beater is removed. Then beat in the sugar one tablespoon at a time. After all sugar is used, beat in the vanilla.

3. Spread meringue over the pudding, covering the entire surface and the edges of the pan. Bake for about 15 minutes or until meringue is slightly browned. Refrigerate until ready to serve.