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5 from 9 votes

Fresh Banana Pudding

A fresh banana pudding that infuses milk with real bananas. Serve it up with a dollop of coconut whipped cream and toasted coconut flakes for a tasty dairy-free and gluten-free recipe!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Steeping and chilling time6 hours
Total Time6 hours 50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: banana pudding, dairy free banana pudding, fresh banana pudding, gluten-free banana pudding
Servings: 3
Author: Lisa Bryan

Ingredients

Banana Pudding

Coconut Topping

Instructions

Infuse the Coconut Milk

  • Pour coconut milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into a medium saucepan and whisk to combine.
  • Heat the coconut milk over medium heat, whisking often, until it simmers. Take care not to let the milk boil.
  • While the coconut milk is heating, peel and slice 3 bananas into 1/2-inch thick rounds. Set aside.
  • Once the coconut milk is steaming, remove the saucepan from the heat, add the sliced bananas, and stir with a spatula to coat them with the coconut milk.
    Sliced bananas in a pot of hot coconut milk.
  • Cover the saucepan and let it sit at room temperature for 4 hours to infuse the milk with banana flavor.
  • To finish the pudding now, proceed to the next step. For a more intense banana flavor, transfer the banana and milk mixture to a glass bowl or dish, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours

Make the Pudding

  • Remove the banana pieces from the milk using a slotted spoon or skimmer. You will not need the strained banana pieces for the rest of this recipe but you can save them for smoothies or other baking recipes.
  • Pour 1/2 cup of the infused banana milk into a mixing bowl, then add the honey, egg yolks, salt, and arrowroot powder. Whisk together.
    Milk, eggs, honey, and arrowroot flour in a mixing bowl.
  • In a medium saucepan, reheat the remaining milk over medium heat, stirring gently until simmering.
  • Very slowly (just a few tablespoons at a time) drizzle about half of the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking rapidly to keep the milk from curdling the eggs.
  • Return the saucepan to the stovetop, pour the tempered egg mixture into to saucepan, and warm over low heat, stirring constantly until the pudding mixture simmers and thickens slightly, about 3-4 minutes. Watch carefully to make sure the pudding mixture does not boil or over-thicken.
    Thickened banan pudding on the stove.
  • Remove the hot pudding from the heat, and stir in the remaining one teaspoon of vanilla.
  • Pour the pudding through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, to remove any clumps from the pudding.
  • Cool slightly, then cover by pressing a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding. This is optional, but it helps to prevent a skin from forming on the pudding.
  • Chill the pudding in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours, or until it's firmed up slightly.
  • To serve, top the banana pudding with sliced bananas, coconut whipped cream, and toasted coconut flakes.

Notes

  • This recipe makes approximately 2 1/2 cups of banana pudding.
  • If your grocery store is stocked with greenish bananas, pick them up a few days before you want to make the banana pudding. Let them ripen on the counter or place them in a paper bag to speed up the process.
  • Feel free to use your favorite nut milk in place of the coconut milk. But know that it might not be as thick or creamy as using full-fat coconut milk.
  • Use the leftover coconut milk in your favorite smoothie! 

Nutrition

Calories: 488kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 28g | Cholesterol: 195mg | Sodium: 174mg | Potassium: 472mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 282IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 5mg