For the Vanilla Marshmallow Meringue:

Fill a 3-quart pot with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. In a medium-sized bowl wider than the 3-quart pot, add the egg whites, sugar, salt and vanilla bean paste. It’s critical that the egg whites don't contain any egg yolk. The fat in the yolks will prevent the meringue from aerating and getting fluffy. Be sure to also have a candy thermometer handy, as you will need it for the next step. Bring the water down to a medium heat and place the bowl over the pot. Whisk the mixture constantly until it reaches 175 degrees on the candy thermometer. This will take about 10 - 12 minutes. Transfer the meringue to a stand mixture and whip the meringue on high for 5 minutes. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

For the Pudding:

In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk and heavy cream, then add the egg whites, sugar, cornstarch and salt. Whisk until everything comes together and turn the heat on medium. Whisk continuously for about 6-8 minutes or until the mixture reaches pudding consistency. The moment it has thickened, add the vanilla bean paste, bourbon and butter. Transfer the pudding to a bowl. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin forming on the top and refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.

For the Whipped Cream:

Using a whisk in a large bowl, whip cream until stiff peaks are just about to form. Make sure not to over-beat, or the cream will get lumpy and butter-like. Set whipped cream aside.

To Assemble Banana Pudding:

In a large bowl, add the chilled pudding and chopped bananas. Stir to combine, then gently fold in the whipped cream. Use a spatula, being careful to not over mix and deflate the mousse-like mixture.

In a large bowl or casserole dish, lay the Nilla wafers like tile along the bottom of the bowl. Add about 1/4 of the pudding mixture and spread it to create an even layer. Sprinkle crumbled Nilla wafers and additional sliced banana. Add another layer of the pudding mixture and continue the layering until the dish is 3/4 full. As the final layer, spread the marshmallow meringue over the pudding with a spatula, and broil until the meringue is lightly browned, about 3 minutes. For a no-oven method, use a blow torch or brulée torch, which quickly and easily browns the meringue nicely. Use any leftover sliced banana as décor, along with additional Nilla wafers.

Notes:

Add peanut butter, mini chocolate chips, chocolate-hazelnut spread or sliced strawberries to make the recipe your own.