Try this Banana Pudding (large) recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 18.6603771372362 g
- Cholesterol 20.6203044744871 mg
- Fat 9.8880302992333 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 4.20957917326284 g
- Saturated Fat 6.91384411528334 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (117g)
- Sodium 73.9922111169483 mg
- Sugar 18.6603771372362 g
- Trans Fat 0.619556619209813 g
- Calories 179 calories
Step-by-step
- Mix pudding, milk, & condensed milk together.
- Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
- Add sour cream & cool whip to mixture.
- Mix well.
- Beginning with pudding mixture, layer pudding, wafers & bananas.
- Final layer is pudding with a garnish of wafers.
Velvety pudding hugs crisp vanilla wafers while slices of fresh fruit yield a tender bite throughout the chilled dish. Transforming instant starches and dairy bases into a cohesive dessert requires careful management of moisture content and setting times. Using fresh bananas introduces active enzymes and high water content, which can soften the surrounding components rapidly compared to preserved or dehydrated alternatives. Managing this hydration shift dictates whether the final structure holds distinct layers or dissolves into a uniform custard.
Instant puddings rely on modified food starches that hydrate rapidly when combined with cold liquids. Whisking the milk and sweetened condensed milk thoroughly before a ten-minute refrigeration rest allows the starch granules to fully swell without developing lumps. Sour cream and thawed whipped topping fold into this base to lighten the density, creating an emulsion that coats the wafers evenly. Maintaining a consistent temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit inside the refrigerator during this resting phase prevents premature curdling of the dairy fats.
Sliced fruit oxidizes quickly when exposed to ambient air, turning brown and releasing excess liquid into the surrounding pudding matrix. Tossing banana rounds in a weak citric acid solution or citrus juice halts polyphenol oxidase activity, preserving both color and structural integrity for up to 48 hours of storage. Layering the components in a deep glass dish ensures uniform distribution of weight, compressing the wafers just enough to soften their outer edges while retaining a firm center.
