CARAMELIZED BANANA PUDDING

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup butter
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
4 large ripe bananas, sliced
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (I only use white whole-wheat flour)
2 large eggs
2 cups milk
4 large eggs, separated
2 tsp vanilla extract
48 vanilla wafers

Cook the brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes until bubbly. Add the bananas and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove skillet from heat.

In a heavy saucepan whisk together 3/4 cup of the granulated sugar, flour, 2 large eggs, milk, and 4 egg yolks. Cook mixture over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, 8 to 10 minutes or until of a pudding-like thickness. (Mixture will just begin to boil and have soft peaks when whisk is lifted.) Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Divide half of banana mixture, pudding, and wafers among 8 1-cup ramekins or other ovenproof glass dishes. Layer with the remaining banana mixture, pudding, and wafers.

Beat the 4 egg whites at high speed with electric mixer until foamy. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar is completely dissolved (2 to 4 minutes). Spread the meringue over the ramekins. Place on a baking sheet.

Bake at 325 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until the meringue is golden brown.

Allow to cool on wire rack for 30 minutes before serving.

Note: I have never made this recipe. I have had it several years (got it from a Southern Living magazine) and do not consider it worth my trying to make me a diabetic version. This is a very Southern recipe using vanilla wafers. I do not like banana pudding with vanilla wafers but many of you do so this recipe is for you.