Banana Cream Pudding

Here’s a smooth, homemade banana cream pudding (richer than the instant version and totally worth it):

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🍌🥛 Ingredients

• 2 cups milk
• ½ cup sugar
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2–3 ripe bananas, sliced
• Vanilla wafers or biscuits (optional, for layering)
• Whipped cream (for topping)

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🥄 Instructions

1. Mix dry ingredients
   In a saucepan, whisk sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
2. Add milk & cook
   Slowly whisk in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens.
3. Temper the eggs
   In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks. Add a little hot pudding to them (to warm them up), then pour back into the pan.
4. Finish the pudding
   Cook for another 1–2 minutes until thick and creamy. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.
5. Layer it
   In a dish or cups:
   • Add a layer of pudding
   • Add banana slices
   • Add wafers (optional)
     Repeat layers.
6. Chill
   Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
7. Serve
   Top with whipped cream before serving.

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✨ Tips

• Use ripe but firm bananas for best flavor and texture.
• Press plastic wrap directly onto the pudding surface to prevent a skin.
• For extra flavor, lightly toast the wafers before layering.

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If you want, I can give you a no-cook quick version, a bakery-style version with meringue, or even a banana cream pie version 🥧