Nanner Puddin'

It's been a long time since I've made a nanner puddin'. To those of you who do not speak Southern, that's a banana pudding.

When we first arrived, we did not have an oven, so it wasn't possible to cook the meringue. I have made one with a whipped cream topping instead, but then you're left with unused egg whites. We have an oven now, but vanilla wafers are not available in Dumaguete. My decision to make this nanner puddin' was brought on by my discovery of a Marie biscuit made by Monde Nissin. The cookie does not taste exactly like a Nabisco vanilla wafer, but when I tasted one for the first time, I thought they would be a reasonable substitute.

I've included the recipe.

The recipe:

3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/3 cup flour
dash salt
4 eggs, separated
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
vanilla wafers
5 bananas, sliced

MIX 1/2 cup sugar, flour and salt in top of double boiler. Blend in 4 egg yolks and milk. Cook, uncovered, over boiling water 10 to 12 min. or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.

RESERVE 12 wafers for garnish. Spread small amount of custard onto bottom of 1-1/2-qt. baking dish. Cover with layers of 1/3 each of the remaining wafers, bananas and remaining custard. Repeat layers 2 times.

BEAT egg whites on high speed of mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining sugar until stiff peaks form. Spread over custard, sealing well to edge of dish.

BAKE 15 to 20 min. or until lightly browned. Cool slightly. Top with reserved wafers just before serving