Banana Pudding: Magnolia's Famous

We went to NY with my family a couple of weeks ago and finally had the famous banana pudding from Magnolia's! It was heavenly. Not the fake banana flavors, real bananas, real good. My aunt has made this for family functions and I was lucky enough to get the recipe so here it is.

Magnolia’s Famous Banana Pudding
Recipe from: More From Magnolia
by Allysa Torey, Photographs Zeva Oelbaum
Cookbook Heaven at Recipelink.com

I started making this pudding when I was in my early twenties and cooking at a Tex-Mex restaurant and bar. Customers loved it, so when we opened the bakery many years later, it seemed like a great idea to serve it there. It remains the second most popular dessert (after the cupcakes) at the bakery.

·         1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

·         1 1/2 cups ice cold water

·         1 (3.4-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix (preferably Jell-O brand)**

·         3 cups heavy cream

·         1 (12-ounce) box Nabisco Nilla Wafers (no substitutions!)

·         4 cups sliced ripe bananas

1.    In a small bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat together the sweetened condensed milk and water until well combined, about 1 minute. Add the pudding mix and beat well, about 2 minutes more. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight, before continuing. It is very important to allow the proper amount of time for the pudding mixture to set.

2.    In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the pudding mixture into the whipped cream until well blended and no streaks of pudding remain.

3.    To assemble the dessert, select a large, wide bowl (preferably glass) with a 4-5-quart capacity. Arrange one-third of the wafers to cover the bottom of the bowl, overlapping if necessary, then one-third of the bananas and one-third of the pudding. Repeat the layering twice more, garnishing with additional wafers or wafer crumbs on the top layer of the pudding. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours - or up to 8 hours, but no longer! - before serving.

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**I couldn’t find a 3.4 ounce vanilla pudding mix, so I bought the larger one and didn’t use the whole package.