In the first video of The Observer’s cooking-at-home series, Online Editor Gillian Russo, FCLC ’21, makes Magnolia Bakery-inspired banana pudding with ingredients most people can find around the house.

Magnolia Bakery-Inspired Banana Pudding

Ingredients:

2/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup flour

Pinch of salt

3 eggs (vegan substitute: 3 tbsp flaxseed and 9 tbsp water)

2 cups of soymilk (can substitute any kind of milk)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tbsp butter

4 bananas

1 package of shortbread cookies (Trefoils, Nilla Wafers or a similar cookie)

Directions:

1. Whisk together the sugar, flour and salt in a medium-sized saucepan.

2. Combine the eggs/flaxseed, milk, butter and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Pour the mixture into the saucepan with the dry ingredients and stir together.

3. Mash four bananas in a mixing bowl and set aside.

4. Put the saucepan on the stovetop over low to medium heat, and stir the pudding continuously until the mixture thickens. This should take about 20 minutes.

5. Once the mixture is thickened to a pudding-like consistency, pour it into the mixing bowl with the mashed banana. Use an electric mixer to blend the bananas into the pudding for the smoothest consistency.

6. Layer a bowl or other container with alternating layers of shortbread cookies and pudding.

7. Seal the pudding, either in an airtight container or by putting plastic wrap over a bowl, and let it set in the fridge for at least an hour, or ideally overnight.

8. Serve chilled.

This recipe was modified from a recipe by Sara Crenshaw of AllRecipes.