Banana Pudding Pie

Cook’s notes: This recipe is quite easy and very flexible. When you have ripe bananas, and it’s too hot to bake banana bread, pudding pie is a great alternative. This lovely summer dessert can also be made with strawberries instead of bananas. The plain yogurt cuts the sweetness of the instant pudding. Also, I was very excited to find the truwhip brand whipped topping in my local market: it has better ingredients that a standard brand of whipped topping. It’s still a treat, not health food, but pudding pie needs whipped topping.

For a tropical-tasting pie, use whipped coconut milk for the topping.

1 x 9-inch graham cracker pie crust
2 to 3 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
1 cup milk (we like 2%)
1 cup plain, fat-free yogurt
1 box instant vanilla pudding
Whipped topping or whipped cream

Place banana slices in the graham cracker crust. Whisk the milk and yogurt together. Whisk in the pudding mix. Pour pudding over the bananas. Refrigerate for about an hour. Serve immediately with whipped topping.

Best Recipe: Midnight Almond Mousse

Cook’s notes: This dark chocolate mousse is really extravagant, too rich to be called pudding. You can use any kind of milk (2%, light cream, or half-and-half) instead of the 2 cups heavy cream. Martha’s methodology is excellent here: Warming the eggs with the cream means you don’t have to temper the egg yolks. No extra chocolate chips are needed. Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa powder is a blend of Dutch-process and black cocoas from King Arthur Flour. It is an incredible product.

Serves 6 to 8 (note: keep servings to about 2 oz. Seriously.)

2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 Tablespoons unsweetened Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa powder
4 Tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream (or milk)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure almond extract

In heavy-bottom medium-size saucepan, whisk together cornstarch, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt. Add the milk, and whisk to make a smooth paste. Whisk in the cream (or additional milk) and eggs until combined.

Set pan over medium heat. Whisk slowly and constantly, making sure to scrape sides of pan, until mousse thickens. Allow 7 to 8 minutes. Make sure that the mixture does not ever boil; the mousse thickens quickly after 7 minutes.

Remove saucepan from heat and transfer mousse to a medium bowl. Stir mousse until it starts to cool, about 5 minutes. Stir in almond extract.

You can eat the mousse warm at this point. Cover pudding bowl with a lid and refrigerate until thick and well chilled, about 40 minutes or overnight. To prevent a skin from forming, press a piece of clingfilm plastic wrap directly on the surface of the mousse.

Serving suggestion: Divide mousse into small cups or bowls and top with whipped cream. Or, to be really decadent, use this mousse as frosting on chocolate cupcakes.

Adapted from recipes by Martha Stewart and Recipezaar (Easy Custard, #238798).

Best Recipe: Pecan Rice Pudding (Easy and Eggless)

Cook’s Notes: The perfect comfort food, ready in just 45 minutes. The method is similar to making risotto. It was easy to make in one pot on the stovetop. Erica G. shared the original recipe on allrecipes, and I made modifications (like omitting the egg and substituting pecans for golden raisins). She says, “This is my mom’s recipe for Rice Pudding. It’s the best I’ve ever tasted,” and I have to agree. Rice pudding is a favorite dish; this will be our go-to recipe. Thanks, Erica!

Yield: 6 servings

3/4 c uncooked white rice
1.5 c water

2/3 c pecans
2 c milk, divided (1.5 c and 1/2 c)
1/3 c white sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 T butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Cook the rice: In a medium saucepan, bring 1.5 c water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Tip: Make sure the rice is tender before you add the sugar. Fluff the rice, scraping it all up from the bottom of the pan.

While the rice cooks, toast the pecans: Spread pecans on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for 1 minute on High. Stir the pecans, and microwave 1 minute more on High. Be careful; the plate could get extremely hot. Chop the toasted pecans.

Add 1.5 c milk, sugar, and salt to the saucepan with the cooked rice. Cook over medium-low heat , stirring often, until pudding is thick and creamy, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Stir in remaining 1/2 c milk and toasted pecans. Cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in butter and vanilla. Serve warm.

Coconut Spiced Rice Pudding (Light, Easy, and Eggless)

Cook’s Notes: This pudding is light brown in color from the lovely spice blend. I developed this variation when we had leftover coconut milk and white rice. You don’t need eggs and heavy cream to make this dish. It’s the ultimate in comfort food, while being lower in calories than traditional rice pudding. Recipe can easily be halved.

You can top the rice pudding with fresh berries or 1/4 c chopped shelled pistachios. It’s also good with chopped mango and toasted almonds. You might like it served warm with a drizzle of heavy cream. Since it is a whole grain food, you could even have it as part of a decadent breakfast.

Yield: 36 oz (4.5 c)

2 c cooked white rice
3-1/3 c milk (2%)
2/3 c coconut milk
2/3 c granulated white sugar
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Optional: 1/2 c dried fruit or raisins or 2 diced bananas
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Optional – Rum raisins: Soak 1/3 c raisins in 1/3 c spiced rum for about an hour until raisins are plumped. Stir raisins and rum into the pudding.

Sprinkle the rice with water and microwave for 30 to 60 seconds until it is warm and soft.

Microwave the milk for 2 minutes until steaming. Stir sugar, allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg into hot milk until well blended. Stir in the rice.

Pour the rice mixture into the saucepan and bring to a slow simmer over medium-low heat. Stir often, leaving the saucepan uncovered, until pudding is thick and a spoon can stand in it, about 45 minutes total.

Optional: When 20 minutes of cooking time remain, add fruit to the pudding, either 1/2 c golden seedless raisins or 2 diced bananas.

Remove from the heat, scraping up any thickened pudding that settles on the bottom of the pan. The consistency is similar to thick oatmeal. Stir in the vanilla.

Serve warm or cold. Pudding can be refrigerated covered with plastic wrap for a couple of days.

Recipe sources include information from America’s Test Kitchen, Cooking Light, Cuisine at Home (August 2005), Gourmet (August 1996), and www.joyofbaking.com.