Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding from Scratch for 12 Servings

Instructions:

1. Combine the base. Whisk the 14 oz sweetened condensed milk and 1.5 cups ice cold water in a large bowl. Note: Whisk until the milk is completely dissolved into the water with no streaks.
2. Thicken the mixture. Add the 3.4 oz instant vanilla pudding mix. Whisk vigorously for 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth and begins to thicken.
3. Initial chill. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Note: This allows the starches to fully hydrate and firm up into a semi solid state.
4. Whip the cream. In a separate chilled bowl, whip the 3 cups heavy whipping cream on medium high speed until stiff peaks form and the whisk leaves clear tracks.
5. Fold carefully. Gently add the set pudding mixture to the whipped cream. Use a spatula to fold until the color is uniform and no white streaks of cream remain.
6. Start the layers. Place one third of the 11 oz Nilla wafers in the bottom of your dish, followed by one third of the 4 sliced bananas.
7. Add the cream. Spread one third of the pudding mixture over the bananas until they are completely covered.
8. Repeat the process. Create two more layers of wafers, bananas, and pudding.
9. Smooth the top. Finish with a final layer of the pudding mixture, smoothing it with your spatula.
10. Final rest. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours until the wafers have softened to a cake like consistency. > Chef's Tip: If you want a truly professional look, save a few wafers and crush them into a fine dust. Sprinkle this over the top of the pudding just before serving to add a bit of visual texture and a hint of extra vanilla flavor.