OLD FASHIONED BANANA PUDDING

Steps:

• 1. Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks until they are a lemon yellow. Set the whites aside for meringue.
• 2. In saucepan over medium heat melt butter, stir in brown and white sugars, flour and salt until sugar is dissolved.
• 3. Slowly add in the evaporated milk and water. Whisk until it just starts to boil, turn the heat down a bit and whisk and cook for about 15 minutes.
• 4. It should be thick enough to coat our spoon really well. You will need to whisk this the whole time or it will stick.
• 5. If you are not good at whisking for 15 minutes constantly, you can put this in a double boiler.
• 6. Take a little of the hot custard and stir it into the egg yolks to temper them before adding them to the pan.
• 7. Once you have done this you can add the egg yolks to the warm pudding mixture.
• 8. Whisk them in for about 2 minutes to cook them. Remove from heat and add in the 2 teaspoons vanilla.
• 9. Line a 2 quart casserole or baking dish with half of the vanilla wafers. Layer 2 of the sliced bananas next.
• 10. Pour half of the pudding mixture over the bananas. Repeat all of the layers again, ending with the pudding.
• 11. You will notice the slightly caramel color of the pudding. That is the brown sugar and to me it just makes it really special.
• 12. For the meringue, add 1 teaspoon of the baking powder to the egg whites and start to beat the whites with an electric mixer on high.
• 13. Gradually add in 4 tablespoons of sugar continuing to beat. When stiff peaks start to form this takes some time add in 1 teaspoon of the cornstarch and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
• 14. Don't get to heavy on vanilla or it will change the color of your meringue or use the colorless.
• 15. Make sure your bowl and beaters are completely clean and dry before you start making the meringue. Any oil or residue will cause the meringue not to bbe high and light.
• 16. Meringue also does better if you use eggs that have been out of the refrigerator for an hour or so and not real cold.
• 17. This is my mothers tried and true meringue and it is wonderful.
• 18. Spread the meringue over the pudding making sure to seal it to the edges of the dish all the way around. That just means not to leave any air pockets or gaps around the edges.
• 19. When your meringue shrinks back or pulls away from the sides or sinks in the middle it's because you have not sealed it to the edges and have left spaces open.
• 20. Place in a 350 oven for about 8-15 minutes or until it just starts to brown. Watch it carefully.