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1
Make the custard. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch together in a heavy saucepan until pale. Warm the milk separately, then pour it into the yolk mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Cook over medium heat, stirring without pause, until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon and a line drawn through it holds its shape. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Press cling film directly onto the surface to prevent a skin forming.
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2
Layer the dish. In a casserole dish or trifle bowl, lay a single, even layer of Nilla wafers across the base. Cover with a layer of sliced bananas, then pour over a third of the warm custard. Repeat the sequence — wafers, bananas, custard — two to three times, finishing with a custard layer on top. The wafers must be fully submerged in or in close contact with the custard at every layer; no dry wafer should remain exposed.
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3
Prepare the meringue. Beat the egg whites in a clean bowl until soft peaks form. Add the sugar gradually, beating until stiff, glossy peaks stand upright without drooping.
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4
Top and bake. Spread the meringue over the custard, taking it to the edges of the dish to seal the layers. Draw it up into peaks with the back of a spoon. Bake in an oven at 180 °C until the peaks are golden — not brown. Brown meringue is bitter; the colour to seek is a warm, even gold across all peaks.
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5
Rest the pudding. Allow the assembled dish to cool, then refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours — overnight is the standard. The wafers must fully absorb the custard and transform from crunchy cookies into soft, cake-like layers. A freshly assembled banana pudding with crunchy wafers is not yet banana pudding.