Banana Pudding Parfaits

from Everyday Food Magazine

Serves 5-6 people

2/3 c. sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch
1/4 t. salt
2 1/2 c. milk
4 large egg yolks
2 T. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 t. vanilla extract (I doubled it. Yum.)
2 bananas, sliced at last minute. Plus more for garnish.
12 shortbread or other vanilla-flavored cookies
sweetened whipped cream, for garnish

1. Have ready a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl. In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Very gradually (a few tablespoons at a time), whisk in milk, taking care to dissolve cornstarch; whisk in egg yolks.
2. Whisking constantly, cook mixture over medium heat until the first large bubble forms and sputters. Reduce heat to low; whisking constantly, cook 1 minute.. Remove from heat, and immediately pour through sieve into bowl. Stir butter and vanilla into hot pudding. Let pudding cool slightly; meanwhile, slice bananas.
3. In six 8-ounce glasses, alternately layer warm pudding with cookies and bananas, ending with pudding and covering bananas as completely as you can to prevent discoloration. Refrigerate until set, at least 1 hour, and covered with plastic wrap, up to 2 days.
4. To serve, top with whipped cream and more crumbled cookies and sliced bananas.