- 4 large eggs
- Custard:
- ½ cup white sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 tablespoon banana liqueur (Optional)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cold butter
Pudding:
- 3 very ripe bananas, or more to taste, sliced
- 1 ½ teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 (12 ounce) package miniature vanilla wafers
- Meringue Topping:
- ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- Separate eggs, placing the whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and the yolks into a saucepan.
- Prepare the custard: Add sugar, salt, and 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour to the yolks.
- Splash in about 1/4 of the milk and start blending mixture with a whisk.
- Pour in remaining milk and whisk until smooth.
- Cook and stir mixture over medium heat until hot to the touch, occasionally dipping your finger in to test.
- Whisk constantly until custard is thick enough to form ribbons.
- Remove custard from heat and add banana liqueur, vanilla, then cold butter.
- Whisk until butter dissolves.
- Set custard aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
- Begin to assemble the pudding: Toss banana slices with lemon juice.
- Spread 1/4 of the custard over the bottom of a baking dish.
- Add a single layer of vanilla wafers.
- Cover with 1/2 of the bananas and spread 1/2 of the remaining custard on top.
- Add another layer of vanilla wafers, using slightly fewer this time.
- Top with remaining bananas and custard. Smooth the top and tap dish against the counter to settle the pudding.
- Make the meringue topping: Add cream of tartar to the egg whites.
- Beat using the whisk attachment until foamy.
- Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff, but not dry, peaks form.
- Spread meringue over the pudding using a soft spatula, creating ridges for contrast.
- Bake in the preheated oven until meringue is nicely browned, 7 to 10 minutes.
- Serve warm or chilled
- For the traditional look, bake this in a clear oven-safe glass dish.