Elegant Vanilla Bean Banana Custard With Pastry

Make the pastry by sifting the flours and salt together in a mixing bowl. Add in the seeds, and husks.

Cut-in half of the shortening with a fork or pastry blender until you have pea-sized pieces. Cut-in the remaining half.

Add in the water, just a tablespoon at a time, and gently mix until blended. Don't over mix, but do get it nice and moist.

Roll the dough out onto a floured surface or floured pastry mat. Cut into strips, place on a baking sheet and bake at 415 / 200 for about 10 minutes or until just starting to turn golden.

Meanwhile start the pudding.

In a small bowl, mix the egg yolks up with a fork and set to the side.

In a medium saucepan mix the cornstarch, salt. Slice the vanilla bean lengthwise, and add it and the milk and begin heating over medium heat, stirring constantly.

Once the mixture reaches a boil, let it boil for one minute.

Then slowly add at least half of the mixture to yolks while whisking, being careful not to scramble the eggs. Carefully add it back into the pot and boil for one minute longer. At this point, if you didn't use a vanilla bean add in the vanilla extract.

Allow pudding to cool for a few minutes, stirring so as not to get pudding skin. Add the bananas in and serve warm or refrigerate if you prefer to serve cold.

Serve with the strips of pastry crisscrossed at the back and top with whipped cream.