Instructions:
- In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks, granulated sugar and kosher salt. Whisk well until the mixture is totally smooth. Add the cornstarch, and continue to whisk until it is completely incorporated. Set aside.
- Add the whole milk and cream to a medium size saucepan, and cook over medium heat. Bring the mixture up to a simmer, watching carefully so that the milk doesn’t boil over. Turn the heat down to low.
- Use a ladle to very slowly stream in 1 ladle-full of hot milk into the egg and sugar mixture, while whisking constantly. This will gently bring the temperature of the eggs up so that they won’t scramble. Add another ladle of hot milk to the eggs, whisk very well.
- Place a fine wire sieve over the pot, and pour the egg and milk mixture back into the saucepan through the sieve. This will catch any lumps or bits from the eggs. Add the vanilla extract or the vanilla bean pod and seeds if using. Turn the temperature back up to medium, and whisk slowly but consistently until the pudding thickens. This should take about 10-12 minutes. Be sure to constantly scrape the bottom of the pot so that the pudding doesn’t stick.
- Remove the pudding from the heat, add the 3 tablespoons of Kerrygold Butter with Olive Oil, and whisk to combine. Pour the pudding into a heatproof bowl and remove the vanilla bean pod. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Meanwhile, make the whipped cream. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the cold heavy cream, 2 ½ tablespoons of granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk on medium speed until medium/stiff peaks form.
- Assemble the Banana Pudding Cups: add 4-5 vanilla wafers to the bottom of each cup, followed by ⅓ cup of the vanilla pudding. Add a layer of sliced bananas, and crumble a few wafers on top. Add ¼ cup of the whipped cream, then more bananas and more crumbled wafers. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe by Lion’s Bread.