Banana Pudding

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This recipe for banana pudding was passed down from my great-grandmother.  My mom inherited many of Mimi's recipes.  Each recipe was handwritten on little cards held within a little recipe box that was browning along the edges.  I grew up eating this banana pudding and find it difficult to eat any that is not made with homemade custard.  The custard is what sets this recipe apart from many others.  As a child, I would pull a stool up to the stove and stir the custard mixture for what felt like hours waiting on it to thicken while my mom cut bananas and layered vanilla wafers into her flower patterned Corelle dish.  I don't have flower patterned Corelle, but I do have the recipe.  When you take your first bite of this banana pudding, you are taking a bite of the South.

Ingredients

2 tablespoon All-Purpose flour

6 tablespoon sugar

2 cups milk

2 egg yolk (reserve egg white for meringue topping)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4-5 medium sized ripe bananas

1 box vanilla wafers

2 reserved egg whites

1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
2 tablespoons sugar

1. Begin by making the custard. In a medium sauce pan, combine flour, sugar, egg yolk, vanilla, and milk (in that order).  Stir with each addition (this helps to keep the flour from clumping up in your milk).  Heat mixture over medium-low and stir constantly with a wooden spoon (my mom and grandmother always said to use a wooden spoon).  Stir until the custard thickens and coats the spoon, about 7-10 minutes.  (Do you see why I pulled up a stool?)
2. After the custard has thickened, remove from the heat.  Layer vanilla wafers in the bottom of a medium-sized heat proof dish.  Slice 2 bananas and layer over the vanilla wafers.  Repeat a vanilla wafer layer over the bananas and up the side.  Repeat with remaining bananas.  Finally, layer wafers one last time to top off the dish.  
3. Pour the custard over the bananas and wafers making sure to pour it over evenly.  Then, gently shake the dish to help the pudding settle between the cracks and crevices of the bananas and wafers.  Refrigerate for about 3 hours or until the pudding is chilled throughout. 
4. Just before serving, preheat your broiler on high.  Pour reserved egg whites, sugar, and Cream of Tartar into a mixing bowl.  Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites on high until they form stiff peaks, about 3 minutes.  Top the banana pudding with the stiff egg whites.  Place in the oven for about 1 minute or until the topping is golden brown.  Serve.  

Notes:

• I like my bananas sliced thicker and clunky.  I prefer the thicker texture and roughness of the layers.  My mom on the other hand likes to slice her bananas thin (about 1/4-1/2") and all the same size.  She layers them smoothly over the vanilla wafers for a smooth even layer.  They taste great either way.
• Instead of making a meringue topping, you could use whipped topping or whipped cream, just omit the broiler.  

Picture (not recipe) from : http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/banana-pudding-10000000222208/