Truman Capote’s cold banana pudding recipe from 1968

1960s, Vintage celebrities & famous people, Vintage dessert recipes

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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

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

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.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount 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.

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