ONLINE EXTRA — PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING: Best-Ever Banana Pudding . . . Pound Cake Banana Pudding . . . Simple Banana Pudding, etc.

Best-Ever Banana Pudding

1½ cups light brown sugar, packed

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 11- or 12-ounce can evaporated milk, shaken well

¾ cup water

3 eggs

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ cup butter

1 12-ounce box vanilla wafers

4 to 6 ripe bananas

Topping: Whipped topping, 2 cups heavy cream beaten with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, or about 1 cup vanilla wafer crumbs

Whisk together brown sugar, flour, evaporated milk, water, eggs, salt and vanilla in a heavy saucepan or the top of a double boiler over a little simmering water. Add butter and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the butter melts.

Reduce heat to low and cook slowly, stirring often, until the mixture thickens and just starts to look a little curdled. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Place a layer of vanilla wafers in the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch glass baking dish. Slice the bananas into rounds and place a layer of rounds on top of the wafers. Top with about half the pudding mixture, spreading to completely seal the wafers and bananas. Repeat layers, end-ing with pudding. Refrigerate until chilled.

Top with whipped topping, sweetened whipped cream or cookie crumbs.

Pound Cake Banana Pudding

4 eggs

4 cups half-and-half

1½ cups sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

¼ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1-pound all-butter pound cake, such as Sara Lee

4 large ripe bananas, peeled

MERINGUE:

¼ cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Separate the eggs. Cover the egg whites and refrigerate for the meringue. Whisk together the egg yolks with the half-and-half, sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, for 13 to 15 minutes. (Note: In some testing, cooks had to start the pudding over medium heat and cook it longer, for closer to 25 minutes, before it thickened, and educed the heat to low once it began to thicken, so it didn’t scorch.)

Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla, stirring until the butter melts.

Cut the pound cake into 1-inch cubes. Lightly grease a 3-quart round baking dish.

Place half the cake cubes in the bottom of the baking dish, pushing them together so they fit snugly. Slice 2 bananas and place the slices in a layer over the cake cubes. Pour half the pudding over the cake and bananas. Repeat with remaining cake, bananas and pudding. Cover and chill at least 6 hours. (The pudding needs to be cold before adding the meringue.)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine ¼ cup sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a small bowl and set aside. Beat the egg whites and vanilla at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Beat in sugar mixture 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat 2 to 3 minutes, until stiff peaks form. (When you lift the beaters, the meringue will form peaks that stand straight up. Don’t overbeat, or the meringue will break down.)

Spread the meringue over the chilled pudding, completely covering. Working all over the top, push a spoon into meringue and lift quickly, to form peaks.

Bake 15 minutes, or until the meringue is golden brown on the peaks. Serve immediately.

Simple Banana Pudding

2 large boxes instant vanilla pudding

Milk to prepare pudding

About ½ cup sour cream

Frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided

6 ripe bananas

2 12-ounce boxes vanilla wafers

Prepare the pudding in a large mixing bowl, using the amount of milk called for on the box. Using a wide rubber spatula, fold in the sour cream and ½ cup whipped topping until no traces of white remain.

Peel bananas and slice in rounds. Gently stir banana rounds into the pudding.

Place a layer of vanilla wafers on the bottom of a serving bowl. Top with about half the pudding and bananas. Top with another layer of vanilla wafers. Top with remaining pudding and bananas.

Spread remaining whipped topping over the top. Refrigerate until chilled. Serve cold.

White-Chocolate Bread Pudding with Whiskey Caramel Sauce

FOR THE BREAD PUDDING:

2 cups heavy cream

1¼ cups white chocolate chips

1½ cups sugar

2 cups milk

2 eggs, beaten

3 egg yolks, beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1-pound loaf stale French or Italian bread cubes, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cups toasted pecans

In a medium saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat. Meanwhile, place the chocolate chips in a large mixing bowl. When the cream comes to a simmer, remove the pan from the heat and pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips, whisking until the chips dissolve. Whisk the sugar into the mixture, then the milk, eggs, egg yolks and vanilla to form a custard base.

Add the bread to the bowl, gently stirring to coat the cubes with the custard base. Set the mixture aside to allow the bread to soak, about 45 minutes, tossing every several minutes so the cubes completely and evenly soak in the custard base.

Toss the pecans into the soaked bread mixture, then pour the mixture into a greased slow cooker insert. Cover the insert and place it in the slow cooker. Set the cooker to high heat and cook just until the custard is set in the center, about 1½ hours (the time will vary de-pending on your model and type), or about 3 hours over low heat. The pudding is done when the custard is set in the center. Turn off the slow cooker, uncover and remove the insert.

While the custard is cooking, heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place the slow cooker insert in the oven and continue to bake just until the top of the pud-ding is lightly colored and toasted. Remove to a rack to cool slightly.

CARAMEL SAUCE AND ASSEMBLY:

1/3 cup whiskey

1 1/3 cups sugar

½ cup water

1 teaspoon corn syrup

1¾ cups heavy cream

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) butter

¼ teaspoon salt

1¼ teaspoons vanilla extract

White chocolate bread pudding

In a small saute pan, pour the whiskey and place the pan over medium-high heat. Gently and carefully tilt the pan over the flame to flambe the alcohol (the alcohol will catch fire). Immediately remove from heat and let the flame continue to burn; the flame will self-extinguish when the alcohol is burned out of the whiskey. Set the whiskey aside.

In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, water and corn syrup, stirring until the sugar has the consistency of wet sand. Place the saucepan over high heat and cook until the sugar dis-solves and begins to boil. Do not stir the sugar, as this may cause it to seize.

While the sugar is cooking, combine the cream, butter and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Keep an eye on the sugar while you’re heating the cream to keep it from scorching. Cook until the butter melts, stirring it into the cream. When the mixture has come to a sim-mer, remove from heat.

Continue to cook the sugar until it darkens to a rich caramel color, 7 to 10 minutes — the sugar will darken quickly and noticeably and will smell faintly nutty. Swirl the pan as the sugar darkens to judge the true color of the caramel (the sugar may darken in patches if there are hot spots on the stove). Watch carefully as the sugar can easily overcook at this point and burn.

As soon as the color is a rich caramel, immediately remove the pan from the heat and quickly add the cream mixture in a slow, steady stream. The sugar will bubble and steam as the cream is added; be careful as both the mixture and steam are very hot. Carefully stir in the whiskey and vanilla.

Stir the caramel until it stops bubbling, then remove to a heat-proof container until needed. This makes about 2½ cups sauce.

When the pudding is baked, spoon generous helpings into warm bowls. Drizzle the whiskey caramel sauce over it and serve immediately.

Yield: Serves 10.

Approximate nutritional analysis per servings: 1,023 calories, 13 grams protein, 101 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 64 grams fat, 30 grams saturated fat, 242 milligrams cholesterol, 423 milligrams sodium.

Rice Pudding

½ cup golden raisins

1 cup boiling water

1/3 cup slivered almonds

3½ cups cooked medium- or long-grain rice, at room temperature

2½ cups milk

2½ cups heavy cream

2/3 cup sugar

Pinch salt

2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest

1¼ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

¼ teaspoon ground fennel seeds

In a bowl, place the raisins and cover with the water. Let sit until plumped, 5 minutes. Drain. In a skillet over medium heat, toast the almonds until golden and fragrant, 3 to 5 min-utes. Remove from the heat.

In a large saucepan, combine the rice, milk, cream, sugar and salt. Bring to a simmer, stir-ring, over medium heat. Reduce the heat slightly to maintain a low simmer and cook uncov-ered, stirring frequently, until the mixture starts to thicken, about 30 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking, until a spoon is just able to stand up in the pudding, about five minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the raisins, al-monds and remaining ingredients.

Extra Chocolaty Chocolate Pudding

2 cups whole milk

6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely broken

¼ to 1/3 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

½ cup half-and-half

3 tablespoons cornstarch

½ teaspoon pure chocolate extract, optional

Combine milk, chocolate, sugar, cocoa powder and salt in a medium-size, heavy-bottomed saucepan; cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until chocolate is melted and mixture comes to a simmer, about 10 minutes.

Mix half-and-half and cornstarch in a small bowl until dissolved. Whisking constantly, add cornstarch mixture to chocolate mixture. Cook, whisking, until mixture thickens, about 4 minutes. Stir in chocolate extract. Pour into a serving bowl; cool to room temperature or refrigerate until cold.

Variations:

Cinnamon chocolate pudding: Add ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon along with the extract.

Aztec chocolate pudding: Replace the chocolate extract with ½ teaspoon Mexican vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon ground Mexican cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper.

Yield: Serve 6.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 225 calories, 47 percent of calories from fat, 14 grams fat (8 grams saturated fat), 15 milligrams cholesterol, 30 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams protein, 90 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber,

Butterscotch Pudding

2¼ cups sugar

¼ cup water

2 ounces cold butter, cubed

1 cup heavy cream, at room temperature

3 cups whole milk, at room temperature

4 egg yolks

2 whole eggs

½ cup cornstarch

3 tablespoons butterscotch schnapps

Sweetened whipped cream for garnish

Place 1 cup of the sugar in the water and place over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar turns light brown. Remove from the heat and allow the caramel to cool slightly. Swirl butter into the caramel and return to the heat.

Add the heavy cream and milk to the pot and stir to combine. The caramel may harden; just keep stirring until it dissolves again.

Once combined, remove from heat.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, egg yolks, cornstarch and remaining sugar until the mixture is combined. Add the egg mixture to the hot cream/caramel mixture and cook, stir-ring constantly, until thickened.

Pour the pudding through a strainer. Whisk the schnapps into the strained pudding. Allow the pudding to cool before serving.

To serve, layer the pudding and the sweetened whipped cream into stemless wine goblets. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve garnished with a brown sugar cookie.

Yield: Serves 8.

Creme Brulee

½ vanilla bean or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1½ cups heavy or whipping cream

1½ cups half-and-half or light cream

8 large egg yolks

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 to ½ cup packed brown sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. If using vanilla bean, with knife cut lengthwise in half; scrape out seeds and reserve.

In heavy 3-quart saucepan, heat cream, half-and-half and vanilla bean and seeds over me-dium heat until bubbles form around edge. (If using vanilla extract, stir in when noted be-low.) Remove from heat. With slotted spoon, remove vanilla bean.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, with wire whisk, beat egg yolks and granulated sugar until well blended. Slowly stir in hot cream mixture until well combined. (If using vanilla extract, stir in now.) Pour cream mixture into 10 4- to 5-ounce broiler-proof ramekins or a shallow 2-quart casserole.

Place ramekins or casserole in large roasting pan (17-by-11½-inch); place pan in oven. Carefully pour enough very hot water into pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins or cas-serole. Bake until set, 35 to 40 minutes. Mixture will be slightly soft in center.

Transfer ramekins to wire rack to cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 3 hours or up to overnight.

Up to 2 hours before serving, preheat broiler. Place brown sugar in small sieve; with spoon, press sugar through sieve to evenly cover tops of chilled custards.

Place ramekins in jelly roll pan for easier handling. With broiler rack at closest position to heat source, broil creme brulee just until brown sugar has melted, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve, or refrigerate up to 2 hours. The melted sugar will form a delicious brittle crust.

Yield: Serves 10.

Bread and Butter Pudding

3 ounces raisins

¼ cup amaretto

12 slices white bread, crusts removed

1½ sticks unsalted butter, melted

9 egg yolks

2 teaspoons vanilla paste (see note)

¾ cup sugar

½ cup milk

2 cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons granulated sugar, to dust the top of pudding

3 ounces sliced almonds, lightly toasted

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Soak the raisins in amaretto and leave covered with plastic wrap at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut 4 slices of bread into ½-inch dice and spread the diced bread on the bottom of a casserole dish. Sprinkle the raisins on top of the bread cubes and pour any remaining liquid over the bread.

Cut the remaining 8 slices of bread in half diagonally, and then cut each half slice in half diagonally to create 4 even triangles per slice. Dip the triangles into the butter and arrange on top of the raisins, overlapping the triangles slightly. Pour any remaining butter over the top of the bread.

Whisk the yolks, vanilla paste and sugar in a large bowl until combined. Bring the milk and cream to a boil in a heavy saucepan over high heat, and pour the hot mix into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Pour the warm egg mixture over the bread, making sure all of the bread is coated, and set aside for 20 minutes to allow the egg mixture to soak into the bread.

Place the casserole dish in a roasting tray filled with hot water halfway up the sides of the casserole dish, and bake on the middle rack in the oven for 30 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown on top, with the filling just set.

Remove the dish from the oven and roasting tray, and sprinkle with the extra sugar. Broil or use a creme brulee torch to caramelize the sugar. Sprinkle with the toasted, sliced al-monds, and dust with powdered sugar. Cool slightly, and serve warm with a jug of cream and some fresh berries.

Yield: Serves 6 to 8.

Chocolate Pudding

½ cup sugar

1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup warm water

1 ounce semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (optional)

2 cups half-and-half, divided

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1½ teaspoons vanilla

Whipped cream and chocolate shavings for garnish (optional)

In a heavy saucepan, mix together the sugar, cocoa and salt. Gradually stir in the warm wa-ter, making a smooth, runny paste.

Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat then remove from the heat. For an especially thick and chocolaty pudding, add the chopped chocolate and stir briskly until melted.

Stir in 1¾ cups of the half-and-half.

Place the cornstarch in a separate bowl. Gradually add the remaining ¼ cup of half-and-half, making a smooth paste.

Thoroughly stir the cornstarch paste into the chocolate mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until the

Chocolate-Caramel Pudding

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ cup cornstarch

¼ teaspoon salt

2 cups unflavored soymilk

½ cup sorghum syrup or dark honey; see cook’s notes

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Combine cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt in 1-quart saucepan. Add just enough soymilk to make a smooth paste. Gradually stir in remaining soymilk and sorghum syrup.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour into 4 serving dishes. Chill.

Yield: 4 ½-cup servings.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 350 calories, 21 percent of calories from fat, 8 grams fat (0.5 grams saturated), 14 grams protein, 57 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, no cholesterol, 22 milligrams sodium, 10 milligrams calcium.

Amish Date Pudding

4 cups chopped dates

4 tablespoons baking soda

4 tablespoons margarine, cut in pieces

4 cups boiling water

4 eggs

4 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

4½ cups flour

1¼ cups chopped walnuts

Caramel sauce (recipe follows)

Whipped cream

Combine dates, baking soda and margarine in a large mixer bowl; stir. Add boiling water and let stand for 1 hour.

Add eggs and beat on medium speed of an electric mixer or by hand until whites are bro-ken up and well distributed. Add sugar and beat 2 minutes longer. Beat in vanilla. Add flour all at once and beat on low speed until incorporated, then on medium speed until smooth. Add walnuts and beat until well mixed.

Spray 2 9-by-11-inch baking pans with vegetable oil spray. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper. Do not grease the paper.

Pour batter into the pans, smoothing to the edges. Bake at 275 degrees for about 50 min-utes. Cool in pans or remove from pans by sliding onto a counter. When cool, invert and re-move paper. Cut into 1-inch squares with a knife or a spoon. Scoop into dessert bowls. Top with caramel sauce and whipped cream.

Yield: Serves 12.

Caramel Sauce

2 cups brown sugar

2 2/3 cups water

Pinch of salt

2 tablespoons butter

5 tablespoons ClearJel

1/8 teaspoon maple extract

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine brown sugar and 2 cups of the water in the top of a double boiler. Stir over sim-mering water until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil. Stir in salt and butter until butter melts.

In a small bowl, stir ClearJel with remaining 2/3 cup water until smooth. Pour just enough of the ClearJel mixture into the simmering sugar mixture to thicken it, adding a little at a time and stirring rapidly. The sauce is the proper consistency when it falls in clumps from a spoon.

Stir in maple flavoring and vanilla. If sauce is too thick, stir in a small amount of water. Spoon over date pudding. The sauce may be made in advance, refrigerated and warmed in a microwave oven.

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