Serves 10

Banana Pudding Tiramisu

Best made the night before, this creamy mascarpone pudding combines bananas and coffee-soaked vanilla wafers making the best of both worlds into a comfort dessert.

Ingredients

  • 4 and 1/2 cups milk
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • Kosher salt
  • 5 large egg yolks, beaten
  • 2 cups mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup prepared espresso, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup coffee liqueur
  • One 11-ounce box vanilla wafer cookies
  • 6 ripe bananas, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

Method

  1. Heat 4 cups of the milk in a large saucepan over medium heat until steaming. In another large bowl, whisk the sugar, cornstarch and 1/2 teaspoon salt together.
  2. Whisk egg yolks in the remaining 1/2 cup of milk, then add half of the hot milk into the egg mixture until smooth. Then gradually whisk this egg mixture into the pan of the remaining milk. 
  3. Over medium heat, whisk mixture until boiling, and turn down heat until thickened to a pudding-like consistency and remove from heat.
  4. Whisk in the mascarpone cheese until melted and transfer to a bowl or baking dish. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding and refrigerate until completely cooled and thickened. 
  5. To assemble, whisk the chilled pudding vigorously until smooth and creamy. Prepare espresso and coffee liqueur in a small bowl and begin to dip some vanila wafers into the mixture. 
  6. Layer soaked wafers into the bottom of the dish, following with 2 cups of pudding and another layer for the banana slices. Repeat this process until finished.
  7. Finally, top with remaining wafers and pudding and store for 4 hours or overnight. 
  8. Lightly dust with unsweetened cocoa powder just before serving.
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