Coconut Banana Pudding

From the June 2013 Issue of Cuisine at Home Magazine. The recipe notes say "So they're soft, slightly sweet and don't break down completely in the pudding, choose bananas with just a few brown speck on thier peels"

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 16
• Yields: 1 bowl

Ingredients

• 2 (13 2/3ounce) cans coconut milk
• 1⁄2 cup  whole milk
• 1  cup cream of coconut
• 1⁄2 cup cornstarch
• 4  egg yolks
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 4  tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 6  bananas, sliced
• 36 -40  vanilla wafers
• 2  cups heavy cream
• 1⁄2 cup cream of coconut
• 1⁄2 cup coconut, sweetened and shredded, toasted

Directions

1. For the pudding, heat coconut milk and whole milk in a saucepan over medium until it steams.
2. Whisk together 1 c cream of coconut, cornstarch, egg yolks, and salt until smooth. While whisking, gradually pour in half of the hot milk mixture. Pour egg-milk mixture back into pan and cook over medium heat until thick. Boil pudding 1 minute more, whisking constantly, to eliminate any starchy taste.
3. Off heat, stir in butter and vanilla until butter melts. Transfer pudding to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it on the surface. Chill pudding until cool.
4. To assemble, layer banana slices on bottom of a 5 qt trifle dish (or glass bowl), Top banana with a third of the pudding and a layer of wafers. Repeat layering two times, top with final layer of bananas, cover and chill until cold.
5. For the whipped cream, beat heavy cream and 1/2 c cream of coconut with a mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Top dessert with whipped cream and garnish with toasted coconut.