Ingredients
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
8 large egg yolks
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
5 cups milk
6 large ripe bananas, peeled
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
65 wafer-style vanilla cookies, such as Nilla Wafers (from one 11-ounce box), plus more for crushing on top
Preparation
Chop one banana and thinly slice the remaining 5 bananas; set aside. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a medium heatproof bowl and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 1/4 cups sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk milk into egg mixture until combined; stir in chopped banana. Place saucepan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and is bubbling, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, whisking, for 1 minute.
Remove pan from heat and pour mixture through prepared sieve into bowl; use a spatula to push any extra liquid through sieve (discard solids). Stir butter and vanilla into pudding until combined.
Cover pudding with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto surface to prevent a skin from forming; refrigerate until cooled completely, about 2 hours.
To assemble: In a large bowl, beat the heavy cream with remaining 1/4 cup sugar until firm peaks form. Whisk the pudding until smooth. Spoon about a cup of the pudding into the bottom of a large glass bowl. Layer about 1/2 of the cookies over the pudding, slightly overlapping them, followed by about half of the sliced bananas.
Top with about 2 cups of the pudding and half of the whipped cream. Repeat layering with the remaining cookies, sliced bananas, pudding, and cream. Refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours or, covered, up to overnight. Garnish with crushed cookies and serve cold.
