Butterscotch Banana Pudding
BUTTERSCOTCH PUDDING
- 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, divided
- ¾ cup packed light or dark brown sugar (use dark for a deeper molasses flavor)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 cups whole milk
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
- 1½ cups coarsely crushed gingersnap cookies
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
Because they are always reliably tasty, bananas are a good fruit to use in winter desserts.
- To make the pudding, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and whisk until the mixture is melted. Whisk in the heavy cream and cook until the mixture comes to a simmer.
- Sprinkle the cornstarch over the milk and whisk until dissolved. Whisk into the saucepan and cook until it comes to a simmer. Whisk the egg yolks together in a heatproof medium bowl. Gradually whisk in about 1 cup of the hot cream mixture, then whisk it back into the saucepan. Cook, whisking constantly, until the pudding comes to a full boil.= Reduce the heat to low and whisk for another 15 seconds. (Be sure that the pudding comes to a full lavalike boil, or it will thin out as it stands.) Remove from the heat. Whisk in the vanilla. Transfer to a bowl. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons butter into small cubes and scatter over the top of the pudding. Cover the pudding with a sheet of plastic pudding. Cover the pudding with a sheet of plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface. Pierce a few slits in the plastic wrap with the tip of a small knife and let cool.
- Layer the pudding, bananas, and gingersnaps in 6 dessert bowls or glasses. Cover each with a piece of plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface of the pudding and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours.
- Whip the cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla in a chilled medium bowl with a hand-held electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Top each pudding with a dollop of the cream and serve chilled.