I Made Meghan Markle’s Chantilly Lili Banana Pudding Recipe

The recipe, shared on The New York Times, is inspired by a banana pudding that Meghan’s grandmother used to make.

“Grandma Jeanette would have used instant,” Meghan told the Times as she whipped up the homemade vanilla pudding for the base. “But she would have loved this.”

Meghan’s recipe offers a few twists on the classic Southern dessert. She adds strawberries macerated with lemon zest and juice, and opts for finely crushed vanilla wafers instead of the whole cookies.

“I know some people will be upset that I took out the wafers, but I like them crumbled on top,” she added.

To make the homemade vanilla pudding, you’ll need:

• 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
• 2 cups of whole milk
• ⅓ cup of sugar
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon of cold, unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla paste or extract
• ¼ teaspoon of fine salt

To make the Chantilly cream, you’ll need:

• ¾ cup of heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• ¼ teaspoon of vanilla paste or extract

For the assembly, you’ll need:

• 8 ounces of strawberries, sliced
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 1 lemon
• 1 ripe banana
• 4 vanilla wafers, finely crushed
• 6 mint leaves, for garnish

The pudding needs to chill for at least two hours, but you can keep it in the fridge for up to two days before serving. I let mine sit overnight.

Per the recipe, I began by adding the cornstarch and ¼ cup of whole milk into a small bowl. I whisked my ingredients together until the mixture was smooth.

I separated the eggs over a bowl, popping the yolks into the saucepan before adding the sugar and 1 ¾ cups of milk. I whisked the cornstarch mixture again, then whisked it into the saucepan.

Meghan says this step will take about five to seven minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the pudding starts to bubble.

I allowed the pudding to boil gently while whisking for another two minutes.

I whisked in the butter, vanilla, and salt, continuing to mix until the butter had melted.

Meghan’s recipe recommends pressing plastic wrap directly against the surface of the pudding while you allow it to chill.

I sliced all my strawberries and threw them into a bowl with the tablespoon of sugar, gently stirring them together.

The recipe specifies using a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice, but I just eyeballed it.

After mixing everything together, Meghan recommends tasting the strawberries to see if they need more sugar. I added a sprinkle more for extra sweetness and set the bowl to the side for 30 minutes.

This process, known as maceration, allows the strawberries to soften and sweeten — just make sure to keep them at room temperature.

I added the heavy cream to a bowl and whisked until soft peaks formed.

Meghan says you can do this by hand or with an electric mixer. I opted for the latter.

Once I saw the soft peaks, I added the sugar and vanilla, then continued to whisk until medium peaks formed in the whipped cream.

I used an ice-cream scooper for this step, making sure to spread the pudding so the bottom was covered in every glass.

Then, I added a spoonful of pudding on top, creating a new layer in each glass.

The recipe says you should use about two-thirds of the strawberries for this step.

I topped each serving cup with the remaining strawberries, sprinkled on some crumbs from my vanilla wafers, and added a mint leaf for garnish.

The bright bursts of color from the strawberries and mint garnish give the dessert a cheerful feel, and the overall presentation is quite elegant.

It’s a dessert that would fit right in at a fancy brunch but doesn’t require expensive ingredients.

These lovely little cups are so delicious. The vanilla pudding is light and airy, with just the right amount of sweetness, and the macerated strawberries give a pop of zing to add depth and interest.

I ended up topping mine with more cookie crumbs and might try this again with a few whole wafers for extra crunch, but overall, I was really impressed with Meghan’s dessert.

If you’re looking for a recipe that will make your mom feel special on Mother’s Day, Meghan’s Chantilly Lili definitely takes the cake — or should I say pudding.

And if you’re looking for more inspiration, try Ina Garten’s easy breakfast cake (my mom’s personal favorite).