Brown Butter Banana Pudding Recipe You Need For Mother’s Day | Taste That!

0:02 Hold up.

0:03 Did you know everything you think you know

0:06 about banana pudding is only half the story?

0:09 This dish shows up at Sunday dinner, at repass,

0:12 at reunions, whenever somebody needs to feel taken care of.

0:16 But it didn't start as a dessert.

0:18 It started as survival.

0:20 Bread pudding became rooted in black

0:22 culinary tradition during slavery and reconstruction.

0:25 Enslaved people were given scraps, stale bread, limited ingredients,

0:29 and had to make something out of nothing.

0:32 That's not just cooking.

0:33 That's genius under pressure.

0:36 Then bananas entered the picture.

0:38 Late 19th century, through Caribbean trade routes,

0:42 black cooks took what they knew,

0:44 the custard, the layers, the love, and made something entirely their own.

0:49 It became more than dessert.

0:51 Sunday dinner, church gatherings, repass, reunions,

0:56 a symbol of comfort, care, and hospitality.

0:59 What started as survival became celebration,

1:03 and it's been on every important table ever since.

1:13 What's up, y'all?

1:14 I'm Chef Mando, and this is Taste at Origins,

1:16 the show where every dish tells a story.

1:18 And this one, this one's for the moms.

1:25 Banana pudding isn't just desserts.

1:27 It's memories.

1:28 It's family.

1:29 It's a full-on debate.

1:31 Hold on.

1:31 Wait, wait, wait.

1:33 Cuz before we start, I need to know.

1:35 Whipped topping or mering?

1:37 Whipped topping.

1:38 Come on.

1:39 I'm in the right place.

1:40 Come on.

1:41 See, this is exactly what I'm talking about.

1:42 So, how about you?

1:43 Vanilla wafers or homemade cookies?

1:45 For banana pudding, I'm doing vanilla wafers.

1:47 Thank you.

1:48 Okay.

1:48 Well, we home making cookies for.

1:50 Come on.

1:51 Every family's got a version and every mom swears hers is original.

1:56 Mhm.

1:55 How do you make yours?

1:57 My banana pudding.

1:58 Okay.

1:58 I've been making this since I was a little girl.

2:00 First of all, I don't use like instant banana pudding.

2:04 I make a vanilla pudding.

2:06 I add condensed sweetened milk.

2:08 So, we going sweet.

2:09 Then, I put some whipped cream up in that mug.

2:12 Okay.

2:13 And then we do a little bit of layering of the vanilla wafers,

2:17 the the custard that I've made, the bananas.

2:20 It's like a lasagna.

2:23 Oh, the banana lasagna is crazy.

2:26 My husband always makes me put some aside for him cuz he's like,

2:30 I don't want nobody up in mine.

2:31 His own bowl and a spoon.

2:32 He got his his own perfect spoon that he like to use.

2:34 I know that's the truth.

2:36 Mhm.

2:36 Real talk, banana pudding showed up because

2:38 somebody made it for you after church,

2:40 holidays, or just because.

2:42 And usually that somebody doesn't even get a full serving.

2:46 That's true.

2:47 You know why?

2:47 Cuz she was making sure everybody ate first.

2:50 Mhm.

2:51 That's the truth.

2:52 Because that is mom life right there.

2:54 Come on.

2:54 You know that.

2:56 Yes.

2:56 Come on.

2:56 So today we're celebrating that.

2:58 We should.

2:59 So happy Mother's Day to all the mamas out there.

3:01 This is for y'all.

3:03 We're not just going to talk about it.

3:04 We're going to remix it into a brown butter,

3:07 banana, caramel, and dark chocolate molten lava cake.

3:11 Now, I know that was a lot, but it's a brown butter banana lava cake.

3:17 That sounds like heaven.

3:20 I cannot wait.

3:22 I'm going to need some GLP ones after today.

3:25 Go ahead, shoot them up in my stomach.

3:27 I'm so excited.

3:28 You ready to get started?

3:30 Absolutely.

3:30 So, it's brown butter.

3:31 Now, you know the thing about brown butter, it has that real like homey aroma.

3:35 You know what I mean?

3:36 Like you could smell it when you just walking through the door.

3:38 Like it smells like love in the room.

3:40 You know what I mean?

3:41 Is this salted or unsalted?

3:42 But

3:43 unsalted.

3:44 Okay.

3:44 Yeah.

3:44 Yeah.

3:44 We like to control our salt.

3:45 You know what I mean?

3:45 Cuz we do like to add a pinch of salt in there.

3:48 You know what I mean?

3:48 Every bit of sweet needs a little bit of that salt.

3:52 Mhm.

3:52 So, we going this nice and brown and get our brown butter started.

3:55 So, we talking about Mother's Day and you're a mother.

3:58 I am.

3:58 How many kids do you have?

3:59 I have four beautiful black boys.

4:02 All boys.

4:03 All boys.

4:04 My husband said he ain't got no girl in them.

4:07 That's what he said.

4:08 He actually used a different word, but I was like,

4:10 "Yeah, we tried." And do you have any children?

4:13 Uh, yeah.

4:13 I got one son, one boy.

4:14 So, you I mean, you got you got me beat.

4:16 But, you know, my one is is fun.

4:18 You know what I mean?

4:19 He's cool.

4:20 He's only two RIGHT NOW.

4:21 SO, THAT'S LIKE LIKE THE GOOD YEARS.

4:22 How How old are yours?

4:24 I have 16 year old, two 11 year olds cuz I have twins and a six-year-old.

4:29 Wow.

4:31 Mhm.

4:30 So, what was one of the like greatest parts of motherhood that you can say?

4:35 Oh my goodness.

4:36 I just like seeing them becoming who they are.

4:40 Like seeing their personalities.

4:42 Like I see some of me, I see some of my husband.

4:44 And then there's parts where I'm just like,

4:45 "Who is that?" And I'm like, "Oh, that's you.

4:47 That's you.

4:48 That's you." And they're all so different.

4:50 My 16-year-old, he's just a sweetheart.

4:52 My twins, one is super confident, the other one is like a little nerd.

4:56 And then my um six-year-old is an But I love him.

5:01 He's got your cute.

5:03 He's so cute.

5:03 Yeah.

5:04 You know, the babies are always a little different.

5:05 You know what I mean?

5:07 Yeah.

5:07 Yeah.

5:07 But I love them to pieces.

5:08 I can't get enough of them.

5:09 Sure.

5:10 Absolutely.

5:10 Oh, yeah.

5:11 This look good.

5:12 Oh, but we going to take it to where it changes colors.

5:13 We going to start cooking the milk fat

5:14 in there cuz we really want to use that brown.

5:17 Get that flavor.

5:18 You know, flavors in the brown.

5:20 You know what I mean?

5:20 It's always brown.

5:21 More brown, more flavor.

5:22 I love So, how do you keep it brown and not going to burnt?

5:27 You got a small window.

5:29 Okay.

5:29 You got a small window.

5:29 That's why we don't leave.

5:30 We standing right here.

5:31 Okay.

5:31 We just look at

5:32 cuz No, cuz the moment you walk away, you going to start hearing

5:35 and then it's game over.

5:36 It's game over.

5:36 Now we just got burnt butter.

5:38 So I know you talked about some of the the good parts of motherhood.

5:43 Mhm.

5:42 What are some of the not so or I guess hard parts of motherhood?

5:47 You're about to find out in a year

5:49 that year three they test your patience, God's patience.

5:54 They call it terrible twos because it like the alliteration,

5:57 but it's actually the threes.

5:59 That's when they realize they have the option to say no.

6:03 Oh, he that's his favorite word right now.

6:05 Oh, but he's going to act on it eventually.

6:07 He's going to act on that.

6:08 No.

6:08 Now he's just saying it.

6:10 Eventually it's going to be like I'm just going to make

6:11 your life harder because my will is stronger than your will.

6:15 And you went through that four times.

6:16 Four times.

6:17 And at one time it was THERE YOU GO.

6:20 THERE YOU GO.

6:22 OKAY.

6:22 So it's brown and it's got like little bits.

6:24 What are the bits?

6:24 Yeah.

6:24 So those are the milk the milk solids in there that's been cooked.

6:27 You know what I mean?

6:27 M.

6:28 So, we can just turn this off.

6:29 Solid.

6:29 That's what I'm going to start calling my cellulite.

6:31 That's just milk solidness.

6:32 That texture, that's just the solidness of the milk.

6:35 Yeah.

6:36 Yeah.

6:36 Okay.

6:37 Now, what's that?

6:37 These are bananas right here.

6:38 So, we going to brown these bananas and our brown butter right here.

6:41 So, these going to kind of open up and start cooking.

6:45 Oh, yeah.

6:46 Oh, yeah.

6:46 You grab me a little spat.

6:48 Get that mixed around.

6:49 You ain't no straight to the kitchen.

6:50 Go ahead.

6:50 I know you be up in there.

6:51 Oh, no.

6:51 But I'm going to mess this up cuz I ain't never did this.

6:54 No, you good.

6:55 Can't mess it up.

6:56 And that's just going to go right in here.

6:58 Go ahead.

6:59 Get in there.

7:00 Yeah.

7:01 Yeah.

7:02 I used to pretend like I was Julia Child's when I was younger.

7:05 I know you want the banana and brown sugar.

7:10 It sounded like she was on a roller coaster.

7:12 That voice was going everywhere.

7:14 Oh, no you won't.

7:17 Okay.

7:17 So, first we going to go our brown sugar.

7:18 All right.

7:21 Whisk that for me.

7:23 A little vanilla extract.

7:26 Nutmeg.

7:27 Oh, this is already like Come on now.

7:29 You smell it?

7:31 Yeah.

7:31 Oh, it smell good.

7:32 A little cinnamon.

7:34 Wake it up.

7:34 Wake it up.

7:35 Let me tell you, it don't matter what you cook.

7:37 If you do it with a clear bowl, it's going to feel like you doing something.

7:40 Come on.

7:41 You could be stirring up cereal with milk and it's going to be gourmet looking

7:45 regardless.

7:45 So, we got a little baking soda and baking powder we want to get in there.

7:48 Now, what they do,

7:49 one of them helps it rise.

7:50 The other one helps it stay nice and soft.

7:53 Oh, the fact that their name is so close means some and they look the same.

7:58 They look the same and you never I can look at a recipe

8:01 50 million times and I'll still be like, "Wait a minute.

8:03 Which one?

8:03 Which which one?" Soda, baking soda, baking powder, corn starch, too.

8:08 Keep that out the way.

8:08 I like to put a little pinch of salt.

8:10 All right.

8:10 When we baking, cuz you know, it just brings out the sweetness.

8:12 You know, your pinch is way bigger than mine.

8:15 That

8:15 Yeah.

8:16 Yeah.

8:16 Yeah.

8:16 was a lot.

8:17 I love it though.

8:18 No, that's good right there cuz we don't want to over mix it cuz you know,

8:20 we don't want to lose that texture.

8:21 Okay.

8:21 Okay.

8:22 So, that's good right there.

8:23 Right.

8:23 So, next we have our eggs.

8:27 Mhm.

8:25 Beat those right in there.

8:29 Okay.

8:29 Now, what is that?

8:30 This is our white sugar.

8:31 Get

8:33 Uh-huh.

8:33 If somebody asked you what was the difference outside of color

8:38 Mhm.

8:38 between white sugar and brown sugar.

8:41 Molasses.

8:43 Oh,

8:42 yeah.

8:42 This is white sugar with a little molasses on it.

8:46 Okay.

8:45 That's it.

8:46 Yeah.

8:46 Yeah.

8:46 This is our vanilla pudding mix.

8:48 Now, no it ain't.

8:49 This got crystals in it.

8:51 Yes, it does.

8:51 Y'all got this from Whole Foods.

8:52 Why does it look this pretty?

8:55 It's organic.

8:56 It's organic.

8:58 It's organic.

8:59 It's organic.

8:59 I ain't never seen no crystallized vanilla pudding.

9:02 Come on now.

9:03 You know, I use vanilla pudding, too, in mine, but it don't look like that.

9:07 Come on.

9:08 That look like like jewelry.

9:11 It's shining.

9:12 It's shining.

9:13 All right.

9:13 And then we just going to slowly just mix in some of that flour.

9:17 Mhm.

9:17 Were you ever one to like when you were little to want to lick the ball?

9:21 I didn't leave my mom aside.

9:22 I'm like, "Mama, what's that?"

9:23 Oh, my question was like, "What's that?

9:25 What's that?

9:25 What's that?"

9:26 What's great is that my boys like to help me in the kitchen.

9:28 Oh, that's great.

9:29 They really do.

9:30 We going to scoop these.

9:33 Okay.

9:32 Right in here, right?

9:32 Cuz we want

9:34 Okay.

9:34 And these have been buttered.

9:36 These have been buttered.

9:36 You see them greased up in there sticking to the side and all that.

9:39 So, this is almost like a banana bread as well.

9:42 So, it has the pudding in it.

9:45 Exactly.

9:45 Black folk be so creative.

9:46 No, we we don't be ever just leaving things the way they are.

9:49 But what if?

9:52 Bing.

9:52 Come on.

9:53 You know how many bright ideas black people just be having?

9:55 I know it.

9:56 Because we wouldn't have peanut butter if it

9:57 weren't for somebody being like, "But what if?"

10:00 So then we going to take one of these caramels.

10:05 Mhm.

10:07 Look at this.

10:08 You know,

10:09 oh my gosh.

10:11 Chocolate chips and throw chocolate chips on top of that.

10:13 Like that.

10:15 Okay.

10:15 Okay.

10:16 Yeah.

10:16 Yeah.

10:18 And then we're just going to top it with a little more

10:21 just a little bit.

10:23 Oh yeah.

10:24 Well, that that's definitely gonna bust up out of there.

10:26 Yeah.

10:27 Voluous lava cake.

10:29 Ain't nobody turned away.

10:31 Come on.

10:32 So, we freeze it so it's slow to melt while we're baking.

10:36 Okay.

10:36 Okay.

10:37 So, we're going to pop these in the freezer,

10:38 let them chill for a little bit, and then we going to bake them.

10:41 See, this is where I mess up in in baking is

10:44 I don't like any process that don't let me just finish it.

10:47 You be like, "Do this, this, this, and then

10:49 wait 24 hours." But I am hungry in this hour.

10:52 Right now,

10:54 we're going to put these in the oven on 375 for 12 to 15 minutes.

10:58 We got to get our cakes up out the oven.

11:02 Okay.

11:01 We had those in there for about 12 to 15 minutes.

11:04 Bacon on 350.

11:07 Mhm.

11:07 Come on now.

11:08 Very cute.

11:09 Right.

11:09 Yeah.

11:10 How we looking?

11:11 They look perfect.

11:12 All right.

11:12 So, we're going to let these cool

11:13 and then we're going to start building our banana pudding mix.

11:18 Okay.

11:18 So, this is the part and the flavor that everyone knows, right?

11:22 Little whisking mix, right?

11:25 Mhm.

11:23 So, more of that beautiful pudding mix there.

11:27 It is so pretty.

11:28 Some heavy cream.

11:30 Oh, heavy cream.

11:31 Not just regular milk.

11:33 And some condensed milk.

11:35 That you I told y'all that's what I be doing at home.

11:39 I'm doing what the chefy doing.

11:40 Come on.

11:41 You know, you know, you know what you're doing.

11:42 You know, apparently you know what you doing.

11:45 Come on.

11:46 I'm pass you this whisk right here.

11:48 Thank you, chef.

11:49 And I start cutting this banana right here.

11:52 Boy, mas are the best.

11:54 Come on.

11:54 Yeah,

11:55 we are the best.

11:56 And our sons are the best cuz they be loving us.

11:58 Yeah, they do.

11:59 For real, mama.

12:01 Happy Mother's Day, mama.

12:03 That's right.

12:03 Live from PET.

12:06 Look, I'mma zoom past that for you right now.

12:08 Yeah.

12:09 Oh, it is still wet.

12:10 Oh, yeah.

12:10 Yeah.

12:11 Yeah.

12:12 Would have gave up.

12:14 There would have been no air.

12:15 So, we got our banana pudding topping made.

12:17 We got our bananas.

12:18 We got our wafers.

12:19 We got a little bit of caramel here.

12:22 Okay.

12:22 And we got a little smoked salt to finish it.

12:23 You ready to build this?

12:25 Oh, yes.

12:25 Come on.

12:26 Smoked salt.

12:27 So, these are nice and cooled off.

12:29 Yeah.

12:30 Listen, definitely not in food for less.

12:31 I can tell you.

12:32 Hello.

12:33 We just going to take our plate.

12:36 Mhm.

12:35 Cover it.

12:36 Oh, we going ahead and taking them out of the

12:38 Oh, yeah.

12:38 Yeah.

12:38 Yeah.

12:39 Out of the ramkins.

12:40 Out of the ramachins.

12:44 Oh, this thing smells so good.

12:46 Okay, so also another one of my favorites is banana bread.

12:49 This obviously is giving banana bread.

12:52 Okay, what's next?

12:53 Oh, you already gushing.

12:55 You see that?

12:58 Oh my god.

13:00 So, a little caramel for you.

13:02 May I?

13:03 Yes.

13:03 Thank you.

13:04 Oh my god.

13:05 Today.

13:05 Oh my god.

13:06 Today.

13:07 Yeah.

13:07 Today.

13:08 Yeah.

13:08 Is that beautiful?

13:10 Mhm.

13:10 We got to put some bananas on.

13:11 Okay.

13:11 Let's put a little banana.

13:13 It ain't banana pudding.

13:14 It

13:15 bananas on there, you know.

13:18 Oh, just kind of just let it go.

13:19 This is the bougie version of banana pudding, lava chocolate cake.

13:26 I ain't never seen banana bread.

13:28 This.

13:28 And then we got our whipped cream, our whipped topping, right?

13:31 Which you thought I was going to make.

13:34 Look at that.

13:35 Come on.

13:36 Oh my god.

13:37 Today.

13:38 Little extra today.

13:41 Today.

13:41 Okay.

13:42 So, we are we crumbling these.

13:44 Got to have your way.

13:46 Oh, y'all got the real ones, huh?

13:48 These ain't the little ones that be on sale.

13:50 Oh, no.

13:50 No, no, no.

13:51 I like a little pinch of sea salt right on top.

13:55 Okay.

13:55 To wake it up.

13:56 Pinch it up.

13:57 Little pinch of the sea salt right on top.

14:00 I think this might be the best Mother's Day gift yet.

14:04 after you.

14:05 That's great.

14:05 Got to feel more food.

14:07 Amen.

14:13 Mhm.

14:12 Mhm.

14:15 I want it.

14:17 I like it.

14:18 Oh boy.

14:21 Mhm.

14:20 Oh boy.

14:24 This is Mother's Day.

14:25 Mhm.

14:27 This is Mother's Day.

14:28 Now, see, I can see why you your mother's favorite.

14:31 I don't know if she told you that, but I'm sure that's what she feels.

14:35 I already knew it, mama.

14:38 Banana pudding is more than dessert.

14:40 It's legacy.

14:41 It's community.

14:42 It's black culinary innovation carried in memory.

14:46 And it it's a whole lot of love.

14:48 Yeah.

14:48 And and that nobody wrote down.

14:51 They sure didn't.

14:52 So, who makes the best banana pudding in in your family?

14:55 And what is one dish that your mom makes that nobody can touch?

14:59 I like her uh candy yams better than anybody.

15:02 It's very specific to North Carolina.

15:06 Oh, I love it.

15:07 Oh, but this right here.

15:09 Oh, but this I be like, "Mama, this work your blood sugar going up.

15:14 We'll figure it out later.

15:15 We'll drink some water, flush you out." Happy Mother's Day to you, Angel.

15:19 And happy Mother's Day to my mama and all the mothers out there in the world.

15:23 Uh, we'll see you on the next episode of Taste That Origins,

15:26 where we don't just cook culture, we remember those who built it.

15:30 Peace.