Roasted Banana Pudding

I’d heard of salted caramel, but what about salted banana? It’s kind of the same thing…something really sweet and brown sugar-y with added salt. Sounds like I even did it on purpose…but, of course, it only happened because I messed up.

Some of the greatest discoveries happen by mistake: popsicles, chocolate chip cookies, and viagra. While the last one there doesn’t play a major role in my life, my point is that screwing up can work out okay sometimes, so to speak.

I had bananas and a craving for pudding, since I’d been inspired by all the pudding recipes at Sketch-Free Vegan Eating. One of my favourite desserts is definitely banana cream pie, but I didn’t like the pie part of the dish, or the cream part…just the custard, which is so easy to make! I’ll give the recipe below with the “correct” amount of salt as well as the amount I actually used in case you want to try my version. Please use a non-iodized salt, preferably a Himalayan sea salt or something really high quality or you’ll end up being thirsty for the rest of the day.

The roasting part concentrates the sugars of the banana (I figure), making it a little more intensely banana-flavoured.

Roasted Banana Pudding

2 ripe unpeeled medium bananas

2 cups almond milk (or other milk)

2/3 cup honey, divided

2 tablespoons potato starch (or cornstarch or flour)

1/4 teaspoon salt (I used 1/2 tsp…)

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon coconut oil

2 teaspoons almond extract (or vanilla extract, or one vanilla bean)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the bananas on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper (they’ll burn if you don’t, I think). Bake for 20 minutes then turn over and bake for 20 minutes more. Remove from oven, peel and mash with a fork in a small bowl until smooth. Or blend in a blender if you like your pudding really smooth.

In a medium saucepan combine the almond milk and 1/3 cup honey over medium-high heat until the honey dissolves into the milk. It should just come to a simmer.

While the milk and honey are heating, whisk together the remaining 1/3 cup honey, potato starch, salt (the amount you like…), and eggs in a medium bowl. Slowly add the hot milk mixture to sugar mixture while stirring constantly with a whisk so the eggs don’t scramble. Return the milk mixture to the pot and cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly (supposedly about 3 minutes, but mine never really thickened. If you use cornstarch it might only be 3 minutes, but potato starch will probably take longer. Mine didn’t really set at all…). Remove from heat and add the mashed bananas, coconut oil, and almond extract. Place the pan in a large ice-filled bowl for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to help it set. I like to put a piece of saran wrap directly on top of the pudding so it doesn’t develop a skin. When cool either store in the fridge until ready to serve, or eat immediately.