Banana Pudding

I had the chance to try Magnolia Bakery’s famous banana pudding when I was in New York – thanks to my sister-in-law who bought some. It was heavenly! Imagine my delight when I found out that the original owner of the bakery released the recipe so I didn’t have to guess how it was done.

The first time I made the pudding, I reserved some for my neighbor, but my family enjoyed it so much that they even ate the neighbor’s share. Then a few weeks ago, I helped Troy whip up a batch to share with his coworkers.

Magnolia Bakery’s Banana Pudding (edited)

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1-1/2 cups ice cold water
1 (3.4-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
3 cups heavy cream
1 (12-ounce) box Nabisco Nilla Wafers
4 cups sliced ripe bananas

1. Mix the sweetened condensed milk and water in a large bowl until well combined. Add the pudding mix. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before continuing. (It is very important to allow the pudding mixture to set properly.)

2. Whip the heavy cream in an electric mixer 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, arrange one-third of the wafers to cover the bottom of a large wide bowl, overlapping if necessary, then one-third of the bananas and one-third of the pudding. Repeat the layering two more times. (Although here, I used a Pyrex casserole dish.) Garnish the top with wafer crumbs. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to chill in the refrigerator overnight before serving. (I think the longer you wait, the yummier it gets.)