Banana Pudding & Pops

This banana pudding is yumlicious as is or frozen as pudding pops!  Pureed banana gives it silky smoothness that is divine.  If you do want cookie, you could add these maple wafers into the mix.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons tapioca flour
• dash of salt (non-iodized)
• 3 cups milk
• 6 egg yolks
• 3 bananas

Directions

Separate eggs.  Beat egg yolks in a small bowl and set aside.  If you hold on to the egg whites, you can make these meringues.  Puree bananas and set aside.

In a saucepan, combine sugar, starch and salt.  Place on the stove on medium heat.  Gradually add milk while stirring.  Cook until mixture comes to a boil.

Stir about half of the hot mixture slowly into the egg yolks, while whisking; and return the egg mixture to the sauce pan.  Cook until the pudding is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat; whisk in banana puree (and wafers if adding).

Pour in serving glasses or a casserole dish and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.  For pudding pops, spoon into popsicle holders and freeze.  We're tight on freezer space, so we get the best of both by freezing some and keeping the rest as pudding!

Note:  We tried this originally with arrowroot and the pudding stayed runny, but still froze well for the pops.