I often dream of giving “Treat Tours” of New York City–I would show visitors around town and take them to all my favorite treat stops . . . the Toasted Marshmallow Gelato Shake at Stand, the Sweet & Salty Brownie at Baked, the enormous cookies from Levain, and the grand finale: Magnolia Bakery’s Famous Banana Pudding. But it turns out you don’t have to come on my treat tour to try Magnolia’s pudding. You can make it yourself!
This banana pudding is divine. Anna may or may not have said, “This stuff is so good I want to swim in it!” Not totally sure what that means? Trust me, it’s a good thing. The best part about this recipe: It couldn’t be easier to make. It’s so much simpler than a lot of complicated pudding recipes out there. The hardest part: Waiting for it to set . . . and then resisting the temptation to eat the entire bowl in one sitting. Good luck with that!
Magnolia Bakery’s Banana Pudding
from The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook
Ingredients:
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk1½ cups ice cold water1 (3.4 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix (preferably Jell-O brand)3 cups heavy cream1 (12 oz) box Nabisco Nilla Wafers4 cups sliced ripe bananas
Directions:
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 to 4 hours or overnight, before continuing.
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. To assemble the dessert, select a large, wide bowl (preferably glass) with a 4- to 5-quart capacity. Arrange 1/3 of the wafers to cover the bottom of the bowl, overlapping if necessary, then 1/3 of the bananas, and 1/3 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 to 8 hours before serving.
