Overripe Bananas? Blow Off Banana Bread – You Got Pudding Fixins!

After decades of making banana bread with over-the-hill bananas I pondered on an easy pudding recipe. Wowzer, this is a new path to dessert bliss!

INGREDIENTS: Plantains, cousin to bananas, are equally delicious. If not using coconut milk, choose a thick alternate: I use oat milk or half n half. This recipe is developed using agar or agar-agar, a seaweed derived thickener. It is easily found at Asian or international markets. You might exchange agar for gelatin, but I have not tried that at this point.

• bananas – 2, very ripe, chopped [or plantains]
• coconut milk – 1/2 cup or more [or other thick plant milk] or [half n half]
• rice vinegar – 1 TBS
• butter – 2 TBS
• salt – pinch
• sugar – 2 TBS [or brown sugar]
• corn starch – 2 TBS
• agar – 1/2 tsp
• nutmeg – 1/4 tsp [or allspice]
• rum – 4 TBS [optional]
• vanilla – 1 tsp

GARNISH

• nuts – chopped for garnish [walnuts are great]
• Greek yogurt or whipped cream for garnish
• banana slices

INSTRUCTIONS: If you have extra bananas, plan on slicing for garnish

1. Place 1-1/2 cups of chopped bananas in a 2 cup measure
2. Add coconut milk to fill to the 2 cup mark
3. Add the vinegar
4. Meanwhile, brown the butter over medium-low heat in a skillet. Watch and stir so as not to burn. When butter solids begin to brown and gives off a nutty scent, remove from heat and allow to cool right in the pot
5. Pour the banana mixture into a blender jar and purée until very smooth. If your blender is not powerful enough then push the purée through a sieve
6. To the cooled butter add the salt, sugar, corn starch, agar, and nutmeg
7. Pour about a half cup of banana purée into the pot and blend thoroughly with the dry mixture
8. Stir in the remaining banana mixture and bring to a boil under medium heat, stirring occasionally. Do not leave the stove at this juncture
9. When thick bubbles appear, stir continually for a minute then remove from heat
10. Stir in the rum [if using] and/or the vanilla
11. Pour into a serving bowl or individual dishes
12. Slice up extra bananas and decorate the pudding(s)
13. Cool to room temperature then refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours before serving
14. Top with yogurt or whipped cream, and nuts

There are a great selection of Puddins here

© 2021 Recipe by B. Hettig