Truman Capote’s cold banana pudding with meringue topping, vintage-style (1968)
From Ladies Home Journal magazine, November 1968
Here’s a smooth and scrumptious vintage recipe for a melt-in-the-mouth banana pudding, topped with airy meringue.
To serve this dessert as part of Truman Capote’s Thanksgiving meal: Make the pudding part of this ahead if you want, but don’t do the meringue topping until the actual day. (Note: If you haven’t the superfine sugar called for here, regular granulated will do just as well.)
Truman Capote's cold banana pudding
Ingredients
- 3-3/4 cups milk
- 6-1/2 ounces vanilla pudding and pie mix
- 3 eggs, separated
- 1 cup heavy cream, stiffly beaten
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 12 ladyfingers
- 4 bananas, sliced thinly crosswise
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/3 cup superfine sugar
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, gradually blend 3-3/4 cups milk with the vanilla pudding and pie mix [NOT instant].
- Separate 3 eggs, adding yolks to pudding mixture and reserving whites for later use.
- Beat pudding mixture with electric or rotary beater until smooth.
- Cook, stirring constantly, until pudding comes to a full boil.
- Remove from heat.
- Cover surface with foil or plastic wrap and cool for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Then fold in 1 cup heavy cream, stiffly beaten, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
- Arrange 6 ladyfingers in bottom of a 2-1/2 quart casserole or baking dish.
- Spoon half the prepared pudding over ladyfingers and arrange 2 bananas, sliced, over top.
- Repeat layers. sprinkling 1/8-teaspoon nutmeg on top of final banana layer.
- Beat 3 reserved egg whites until foamy.
- Gradually add 1/3 cup superfine sugar, beating very well until meringue is stiff.
- Spoon over pudding.
- Bake 7 to 8 minutes at 350 F, or until meringue is lightly browned.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, qualifying purchases made via our links earns us a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 509Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 169mgSodium: 292mgCarbohydrates: 58gFiber: 2gSugar: 20gProtein: 19g
Click Americana offers approximate nutrition information as a general reference only, and we make no warranties regarding its accuracy. Please make any necessary calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe, and consult with a qualified healthcare professional if you have dietary concerns.
