Roasted Banana Pudding

I ran across a Cooking Light magazine in my chiropractor's office.  In effort to start "cooking better", I ordered a subscription.  My first copy delivered was the August 2011 issue.  I LOVED IT!  


One of the first recipes that caught my eye was Roasted Banana Pudding.  The article mentioned how the original banana pudding contains 819 calories per serving! WHAT?!?!  Their new recipe only contains 295 calories per serving.  How can this be?


The skeptic in me just had to make this new dish. How in the world could the calories be cut that much and still be good?  In the end, I was the one left eating "pudding".  The new version was awesome.  It even passed my husband's taste test, as banana pudding is one of his all time favorite desserts.


I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did.

Tips I learned cooking Roasted Banana Pudding:

• I would only roast the first 3 bananas for 10 minutes.  I noticed that they were too soft after 20 minutes.
• If your pudding isn't think enough, don't hesitate to add another teaspoon of cornstarch.
• Make sure you give it time to chill. This allows the pudding to thicken.

All credit to Cooking Light magazine.


Ingredients:

• 5 ripe unpeeled medium bananas (about 2 pounds)
• 2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
• 2/3 cup sugar, divided
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 (12-ounce) container frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed and divided
• 45 vanilla wafers, divided

Preparation

• 1. Preheat oven to 350°.
• 2. Place bananas on a jelly-roll pan covered with parchment paper. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Remove 3 bananas; cool completely. Peel and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Bake the remaining 2 bananas at 350° for an additional 20 minutes. Carefully peel and place the 2 bananas in a small bowl, and mash with a fork until smooth.
• 3. Combine milk and 1/3 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer (do not boil).
• 4. Combine remaining 1/3 cup sugar, cornstarch, salt, and eggs in a medium bowl; stir well with a whisk. Gradually add hot milk mixture to sugar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 3 minutes), stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add mashed bananas, butter, and vanilla, stirring until butter melts. Place pan in a large ice-filled bowl for 15 minutes or until mixture comes to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Fold half of whipped topping into pudding.
• 5. Spread 1 cup custard evenly over the bottom of an 11 x 7-inch baking dish. Top with 20 vanilla wafers and half of the banana slices. Spoon half of remaining custard over banana. Repeat procedure with 20 wafers, banana slices, and custard. Spread remaining half of whipped topping evenly over top. Crush remaining 5 wafers; sprinkle over top. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until chilled.