Banana Pudding and Vintage Pyrex:

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michaelman2

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Had a hankering for some banana pudding and since we have been talking about Pyrex and Corningware, I used the Pyrex double boiler and a Pyrex Westinghouse Roaster Oven dish for the treat....Both of the Pyrex pieces belonged to my grandmother. In the recent vintage Pyrex thread I learned much and now even take further precautions when using these pieces.

Namely, I never allow the hot Pyrex to come in contact with a cold surface such as a counter. I took the hot baking dish from the oven with a cloth potholder that was completely dry. I placed the hot oven dish on a silicone pot holder and not directly on the cold counter. The double boiler will cool down before I clean it...etc..

Recipe:

INGREDIENTS
1⁄2 cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar
1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour
1 dash salt
4 eggs, separated, at room temperature
1 12oz can Evaporated Milk (add enough water to create 2 cups milk)
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
35 -45 Vanilla Wafers, reserve 10/12 for garnish)
5 -6 medium bananas, sliced thinly into coin shaped pieces (fairly ripe work best)

Combine 1/2 cup sugar, flour and salt in top of double boiler.

Stir in 4 egg yolks and milk; blend well.

Cook, uncovered, over boiling water, stirring constantly until thickened.

Reduce heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat; add vanilla.

Spread small amount on bottom of 1 1/2 quart casserole; cover with layer of Nilla Wafers. Top with layer of sliced bananas.

Pour about 1/3 of the custard over bananas. Continue to layer wafers, bananas and custard to make 3 layers each, ending with custard.

Meringue:
Pre-heat oven to 425
Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry; gradually add 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. (using a bit of cream of tarter helps in this step, shake 1/4 tsp into the egg whites)

Spoon on top of pudding, spreading to cover entire surface and sealing well to edges.

Bake at 425 degrees for 5 minutes or until delicately browned.

Cool slightly or chill. (It really is fantastic to eat when warm)

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Thanks Gyrafoam.

I took it to dinner with friends and they scraped that dish so clean you could almost think it was already washed.

I don't like banana pudding cold, I really enjoy it warm. I did not want any leftovers, and that is what I have, zero leftover.
 
I love this stuff...

I have a buddy who makes one for me every Christmas, except he uses graham crackers...

add some whipped cream and hot chocolate drizzle...and you got a Chunky Monkey there!

this takes you back to frozen bananas, dipped in chocolate with a stick...
 
Iowabear, thanks.. "Hi my name is Mike and I am a sugar addict"...this treat definitely was my "fix" today.

Yogitunes, I have not tried the whipped cream with this cooked custard recipe due to the meringue being created from the egg whites left over. I love whipped cream and may have to add a little next time. I have used graham crackers in a pinch and they are indeed good. Crushed pineapple in place of the bananas is also very good.

Appnut, yum is right...it took every ounce of gumption and restraint for me not to sample until time to serve.
 
Hey Frigilux, this is about as old school as it gets. I know this was the way my grandmother made it and her expertise was southern cuisine.

I think the meringue is the one reason I prefer this dish to be warm as opposed to being chilled.

Funny aside: When I took the dessert to the dinner this evening, two of the guys kept asking what pudding mix I used. Neither knew you can make a pudding / custard from scratch.
 
Mike,

your meringue looks perfectly delicious! I’ve never made or eaten Banana Pudding like this before, but if I was going to make it I would use your recipe. I can tell just by reading the recipe that it would be good. Evaporated milk and flour tend to make a very nice, smooth pudding/custard. And I’m with you, no mix will ever make as good a pudding as you can make from scratch.

I make cream pies a few times a year and I always use my microwave to make the filling, rather than a double boiler, because its so much easier and fool proof. I don’t have to stir it while it cooks and can be busy doing something else. All you need to do with any recipe like yours to make it in the MW is to put the sugar and either flour or cornstarch in a MW safe bowl, whisk it together, then add the millk and eggs or egg yokes and again whisk together thoroughly. Place the bowl in the MW and nuke for 3 mins on high. Remove the bowl, whisk, and nuke for another 3 mins. remove and whisk again, nuke for another 3 mins, remove, whisk, by this time it should be just about ready. It may look like it is congealing around the sides of the bowl, but whisk it together well and it smooths right out. When the pudding starts to bubble its done. Remove, add the butter and flavoring, whisk it in and you are done. I’ve been doing it likme this for over 35 years and its one of the best shortcuts ever, and it works with any pudding recipe.

Thanks for sharing you recipe,I’ll give it a try.
Eddie[this post was last edited: 2/18/2018-22:57]
 
Hey Eddie,

Thanks and yes if you decide to make this recipe, let me know how you like? You are right about a mix versus a scratch pudding, no contest.

I have used your smart suggestion for making puddings and for other things where I formerly used a double boiler. You are right, it really simplifies the process and is much faster.

I was getting nostalgic after the Corningware and Pyrex threads and decided to go old school with the Pyrex double boiler.

Interestingly enough, when I have made pudding(s)in the microwave I have a Corningware Cornflower square dish that I use in the microwave and it works like a charm.
 
I've been making pudding from scratch as Eddie suggested for 40 years (getting my Litton Meal-In-One July 1978.  I use 70% power for all milk/egg related combinations .  Use an 8, 4, or 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup depending upon amount of pudding needing to make.  No other way to make pudding.  I just set it for 70% power and about 8-10 minutes stirring every 3 minutes.  Reduced power helps keep from boiling over.  I remember age 6-10 standing over the stove constantly stirring a pan making pudding with my Aunt.  The microwave was a freedom maker when it comes to pudding. 

 

Ladies at church make this a lot, it's a Southern thang.  Both meringue and whipped cream topped versions.  For even more decadence, use sweetened condensed Eagle Brand milk for some of the milk liquid. 
 
Mike - this looks scrumptious!! Just beautiful and I can only imagine how good it tasted!! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! I don't know how you held back in digging in to that!! We would have ended up eating it all for dinner ;-) Thanks, Mike!
 
Hey Kevin.... talk about coiencidence. I had shared your Steak au Poivre with the host of the dinner where I was taking the pudding. He loves your steak recipe almost as much as I, and your Steak au Poivre was the dinner entree! There was not one morsel of meat left on anyone’s plate! Major yum!!

Anyway, thank you for the nice posting. I told Gyrafoam above, those guys devoured that dessert like it was good. I came back with a dish that was almost clean.
 
Pyrex Westinghouse Roaster Oven dish?

Mike, what are the dimensions of the Pyrex Westinghouse Roaster Oven dish you used? I'm going to make your recipe this weekend. I'm sure I'll have something similar but no idea what size a Pyrex Westinghouse Roaster Oven dish is. I normally use the yellow nested mixing bowl that my grandmother always made her banana pudding in. Thanks!
 
Size of Baking Dish

sfh074, That dish came from a set used in a Westinghouse Roaster Oven. The original ones were by Hall China and included one roasting pan and two smaller side dish pans that look like loaf pans with lids. I took a photo of the roaster oven loaded with the Hall China dishes. The original Hall China pieces are really beautiful and I use mine as often as I can...they still look new after all of these years.

Sorry, I babbled on...now to your question; The Pyrex version of the Roaster Oven dishes replaced the Hall China versions in the 1950s and mine measures 10"x 6.5" x 2.5".

I know this is an odd size for a dish and Westinghouse intended this dish for the entree or meat to be roasted while the two covered covered side dishes were for vegetables and other side dishes to be cooked along with the entree.

sfh074, I have also used Corningware for the pudding and the ones I typically used were the 4 and 5 quart casserole dishes, they measure 10.25" x 10.25" x 2.75"H and 10.25" x 10.25" x 4"H.

I am unsure about your Pyrex mixing bowls, however, my guess is since the pudding is already cooked when you layer it in the dish, the only real reason for the baking and placing it in a hot oven is to cook/brown the meringue. Sounds like it would work fine. Let me know how it turns out......

PS, several members above advised cooking the pudding in a microwave and they are indeed correct. I was feeling nostalgic and used the Pyrex Double Boiler. Their way, as you most likely know is a bit easier and for the most part fail safe. Eddie gives nicely detailed directions above, in the event you have never done it that way.

I kind of liked the "chemistry set" look to the Pyrex DB and it worked like a charm too.

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