Gingersnap Pecan Banana Pudding With Caramel Chai Meringue

Banana pudding is very near and dear to the south. It’s a big part of Sunday suppers and family gatherings, and is traditionally made with vanilla wafers as its base. This Gingersnap Pecan Banana Pudding With Caramel Chai Meringue offers a delightful twist, using a gingersnap crust instead, which adds delicious fragrance, crunch and flavor.

The Prep Work

Making the gingersnap pecan crust is as easy as pulsing the cookies together with some chopped toasted pecans and P.S. Flavor!™ Mai Chai seasoning. The aromatic seasoning features warm spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom, which is added to the crust, pudding and meringue.

There’s no need to chop the gingersnaps, but do chop the toasted pecans with a 7-5/8″ Petite Chef knife before placing them in the food processor.

Use a Petite Chef to chop pecans.

Next make the banana pudding. For the dry ingredients you’ll need Sugar in the Raw®, flour, salt and Mai Chai seasoning or cinnamon.

Sugar, flour, salt and seasoning.

Combine those ingredients and then whisk in milk and egg yolks.

Start making the pudding by bringing milk to a simmer, stirring frequently. Take one cup of that hot milk and add it to the egg mixture to temper it, then add the egg mixture back into the rest of the hot milk. Bring everything to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened, which will take about three minutes or more and then remove from the heat.

Mix in butter and vanilla extract and set aside to cool slightly.

There are five bananas in this recipe, dice two-and-a-half of them and slice the rest using a 2-3/4″ Paring Knife.

Sliced banana with a paring knife.

The diced bananas are used as a layer in the final dish and the sliced bananas will be mixed in with the pudding.

The crowning glory of this Gingersnap Pecan Banana Pudding is the caramel chai meringue. To make it, place egg whites and cream of tartar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment, so it’s ready for when you add the next ingredients.

In a saucepan, add one-and-a-half cups of Sugar in the Raw® and just enough water to cover the sugar. Cook over high heat and when a candy thermometer reads 240 F, go back to the mixer and whip the egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed so it starts to become foamy. When the sugar mixture reaches a temperature of 245 F, slowly stream it into the egg mixture and whip until firm and soft peaks form. Add a little Mai Chai seasoning for the final whipping.

This is an Italian meringue, which is more stable than traditional meringue you might find on a lemon meringue pie. As it cools it will become stiff.

Assemble the Pudding

To assemble the dish, press the gingersnap pecan crust into bottom of a glass dish and top it with the diced bananas. Mix the sliced bananas into pudding and then layer it over the crust and bananas. Mound on the delicious meringue and use the back of a spoon or your hands to form decorative waves.

This recipe is a great way to celebrate bananas. Their flavors, along with the pudding, gingersnaps and Mai Chai fit together for a perfect delectable bite.

Ingredients

For the gingersnap pecan crust:

1 (7-ounce) box of gingersnaps (I like Tate’s Ginger Zingers)
1/2 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
1 tablespoon P.S. Flavor!™ Mai Chai or cinnamon

For the pudding:

1 cup Sugar In The Raw®
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon P.S. Flavor!™ Mai Chai or cinnamon
3 1/2 cups whole milk, divided
8 egg yolks
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 bananas, (2 1/2 diced, 2 1/2 sliced)
Gingersnap pecan crust

For the caramel chai meringue:

6 fluid ounces egg whites (6-7 large eggs)
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/2 cups firmly packed Sugar In The Raw®
Water, enough to just cover sugar in pan
1 teaspoon P.S. Flavor!™ Mai Chai blend or cinnamon

Directions

Make the gingersnap pecan crust:

Place gingersnaps in food processor and pulse until ground.

Add chopped pecans and Mai Chai. Pulse one time to combine.

Store at room temperature until ready to use.

Make the pudding:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, salt and Mai Chai. Whisk in a half-cup of milk and the egg yolks.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the remaining milk and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Whisk 1 cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture then combine the egg mixture into the remaining hot milk in the saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 3 minutes more. Remove from heat.

Add the butter and vanilla, stirring until the butter is melted. Set aside to cool slightly.

When ready to assemble, press gingersnap pecan crust into bottom of a glass dish.

Top crust with diced bananas; mix sliced bananas into pudding.

Spread pudding over crust and bananas.

Make the caramel chai meringue:

Place egg whites and cream of tartar in bowl of electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment.

Place sugar in a small, heavy saucepan, add just enough water to cover, attach a candy thermometer to pan and turn heat on high.

When sugar is at about 240 F, start whipping the whites on high speed (they should be foamy and starting to thicken before you add the sugar). When the sugar is at the high softball stage (245 F), remove thermometer from sugar and, with mixer still running, and carefully avoiding the whip, pour the sugar into the egg whites in a thin stream.

When all sugar has been added, continue whipping until firm but soft peaks form, adding Mai Chai blend for final whipping. The meringue should still be quite warm.

Quickly spread meringue on top of banana pudding, shaping it with a rubber spatula to form a high, smooth dome. With back of a soup spoon or gloved hands, make decorative waves, working quickly because, as the meringue cools it will become stiff and difficult to shape.