Banana Pudding | Chilled Banana Dessert Layered with Cookies

Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a saucepan. Gradually whisk in the cold milk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it boils and thickens. Once it begins to boil, cook for 1 more minute while stirring. If the custard made with egg yolks and starch does not fully boil, it will become watery again as it cools.

Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla until the butter melts. Transfer the custard to a bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and let it cool completely.

Whip the cold cream with the powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Whisk the cooled custard until smooth, then fold the whipped cream in twice with a spatula.

Peel the bananas and cut them into 1 cm-thick rounds. Slice them just before assembling the layers; bananas darken as they sit.

Arrange a layer of cookies on the bottom of a 2-liter glass dish. Cover with banana slices and spread one-third of the custard mixture over them. Repeat the layers 2 more times, finishing with custard. Crumble a few reserved cookies by hand and sprinkle them on top. Cover the dish and refrigerate.