Banana Pudding, Southern Style

This banana pudding recipe is truly southern through and through.
It’s easy to make from scratch and is so much better than using boxed pudding.
It will surely become a family favorite !!

Ingredients;
4 TBLS all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
pinch of salt
3 XLG  egg yolks, separated, whites will be used later
3 cups whole milk
1 TSP vanilla extract
1 TSP Banana extract or liquor
1 box vanilla (Nilla) wafers
5-6 ripe bananas, brown spots are good

Directions;
Preheat oven to 325.
Mix the flour, sugar and salt in a large saucepan.
Combine the yolks and milk until blended. Pour the egg/milk mixture into the dry ingredients and place on med-high heat stirring constantly until the pudding thickens, about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and add the extracts/liquor.
Use a glass oven proof serving dish about 13×9 or bowl.
Make one big dessert or use oven proof dessert cups for individual servings.
Slice the bananas. In the bowl/dish pour a layer of pudding first and then layer of bananas then more pudding, then nilla wafers and more pudding. Make as many layers as you like just be sure to begin and end with the pudding. Set aside.

The Meringue;
3 eggs whites that you reserved
1/8 TSP cream of tartar
3 TBLS confectioners sugar
1 TSP vanilla extract
With an electric mixer on high, whip egg whites with tartar, extract and sugar until stiff peaks form.
Spread on top of the pudding dish in any design you like. Dust with some crumbled nilla wafers. Place in the oven until the meringue is just barely brown.
Serve at room temperature of chilled.