Classic banana pudding

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 4 large egg yolks
• 3.5 cups whole milk
• 1.5 cups heavy cream
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 5 large or 7 small bananas, peeled and thinly sliced
• 44 vanilla wafer cookies (about half a 300g package) + extra crushed cookies for topping

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks until smooth. In a medium saucepan, combine milk, 1/2 cup heavy cream, sugar, and salt; bring to a simmer over medium heat.
2. Gradually, whisking, pour the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Return the mixture to the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until smooth and thick, about 3 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract. Set the pudding aside to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
4. Spoon 1/2 cup of pudding into a 2-quart baking dish. Top with an even layer of about a third of the banana slices, then half the cookies and 1 heaping cup of pudding. Top with another third of the banana slices and another 1 cup of pudding. Then top with the remaining banana slices, cookies, and pudding.
5. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
6. When ready to serve, beat the remaining 1 cup heavy cream with 2 tablespoons sugar using a mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Spoon the whipped cream over the pudding. Sprinkle with crushed cookies.