Banana Pudding With Pistachio Crumble Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep banana pudding from getting soggy? ›

The best way to combat this is to serve and enjoy the pudding freshly made. If you're making ahead, prepare the pudding layer ahead of time, press plastic wrap directly against the top, and store in the fridge for a day or two.

However one chooses to construct banana pudding — served hot or cold, layered with Nilla wafers or sponge cake, topped with whipped cream or meringue — the classic dessert is as American as apple pie.

However, if you sprinkle them with a little lemon juice, it lowers the pH levels and will keep browning at bay. Following the lemon trick, put them in the fridge, either wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight food storage container or bag. Stored this way, sliced bananas can stay fresh for three to four days.

The acid disrupts the enzymatic breakdown process and prevents your sweet, sweet banana slices from turning into mushy little brown hockey pucks. A dab'll do ya, so keep your acid in the teaspoon range.

Your best bet would be to mix a tablespoon of cornstarch and a teaspoon of sugar with some of the beverage and add it to the warm pudding. Heat it to a bubble and stir until it thickens. You may have to adjust the seasoning, particularly vanilla.

Allow pudding to cool completely, while stirring regularly. It will thicken up even more as it cools. In a glass loaf pan, layer 18 vanilla wafers and top with one sliced banana. Spread half of the cooled pudding onto the layer of banana slices.

Pudding that has been stored for too long will not feel fresh anymore and start to runny. Therefore, do not let the pudding stay in the refrigerator for days so that it does not runny.

Cover and refrigerate for 3-5hours or overnight. It is very important to allow the proper amount of time for the pudding mixture to set. It will be watery if you don't let it set up long enough.

Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Banana pudding didn't exist in America before the Civil War, partly because bananas weren't at all common in the states at that time. In the mid-1800s, the very few bananas that made it to America from locations like the West Indies were treated as rare, exotic fruits to be savored by the rich.

How ripe should bananas be for banana pudding? ›

You want your bananas ripe, but not browning too much (like you'd look for in banana bread). Choose bananas that are slightly ripe; yellow with little brown specks. Lemon juice. The best way to avoid brown bananas is to toss them in a a little bit of lemon juice before laying them on top of the Nilla wafers.

You can store banana pudding in the refrigerator for three straight days without worrying about it. But make sure to cover it properly; otherwise, the flavor won't be the same. At the end of the third day, you may notice changes in color, but it's all good till now and ready to be eaten.

Lemon Juice: Toss the sliced bananas in a mixture of lemon juice and water. The citric acid in the lemon juice will help to slow down the oxidation process and keep the bananas from turning brown. Vinegar: Dip the sliced bananas in a mixture of water and vinegar.

This is known as enzymatic browning. Keep cut fruits, such as apples, pears, bananas, and peaches from turning brown by: Coating them with an acidic juice such as lemon, orange, or pineapple juice. Use a commercial anti-darkening preparation with fruits, such as Fruit-Fresh®*, and follow the manufacturer's directions.

As with apple slices, adding lemon or lime juice to peeled bananas can help preserve their freshness. Basically, the citrus slows down the oxidation process. You can also use lime orange juice or pineapple juice. If you've already sliced the banana, toss it with a teaspoon or two of citrus juice.

Wrap the stems with plastic wrap to keep the bananas ripe for longer or to stop them from becoming overripe too quickly. This method slows down the release of ethylene gas, which is responsible for ripening fruits. Prevent sliced bananas from browning by dipping them in lemon juice or orange juice.