Recipes - Desserts

Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding

Perhaps you grew up on this comforting, rich dessert, which is particularly popular in the southern U.S. This recipe uses the same ingredients as traditional versions, plus tofu, which cuts down on fat, cholesterol and calories.

This golden dessert is so pretty you will want to serve it in a clear glass dish. Soymilk can be used in place of the low-fat milk, if you like. Use bananas that are not fully ripe. Cutting them on the diagonal makes long slices that layer nicely. Using a loaf-shaped pan lets you use fewer cookies than a shallower, wider one. For parties, this recipe can be doubled and assembled in a 2-quart dish. Be sure to allow time for the custard, fruit and cookies to meld together before serving.

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Whisk 3/4 cup of the sugar with the flour in a medium saucepan until well combined. (This is important to avoid lumps in the pudding.) Beat the egg yolks in a small bowl. Whisk in the milk. Pour half this mixture into the sugar, mixing until completely blended. Mix in the rest of the liquid.
3. Set the pot over medium high heat. Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, cook until steam starts to rise from the liquid. Reduce the heat and cook, stirring, until the mixture coats the spoon. Off the heat, mix in the tofu, vanilla and lemon juice until the pudding is well blended.
4. Arrange cookies to cover the bottom of a 1 1/2 quart (6 cup) heatproof baking dish, using 8 or 12 cookies, depending on the shape of the dish. Arrange sliced bananas to cover the cookies. Spread a third of the pudding over the bananas. Repeat, making 3 layers in all, ending with the pudding.
5. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Beat in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the whites are thick and glossy. Spread them evenly over the pudding with a rubber spatula. Swirl the surface decoratively with the tip of the spatula. Bake the pudding until the top of the egg white is lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
6. Refrigarate 4-8 hours, until the pudding is chilled through and the cookies are soft. This pudding keeps up to 2 days in the refrigerator, covered with foil.