The crust is a premade cookie. The filling is chopped fruit (premade too, I guess you could say) and no-cook, instant vanilla pudding. The topping is whipped cream. The typing up of this recipe is honestly more time-consuming than the actual making of it. I suppose I could have made my own pudding for this, but I am rationing my cartons of eggs for the double recipe of Meyer Lemon Pie that I am going to make tomorrow and that is a nonnegotiable for our Easter table (I will be sharing the recipe for that tomorrow!). Could I have made a fancy meringue too? Yes, but again I am making a pie tomorrow that warrants that amount of formality. Banana Pudding is a let your hair down dessert and I appreciate its unpretentious, approachable nature. While this pudding might be semi-homemade, don’t let the shortcuts fool you, it is truly delicious. If you have some bananas that need to be used, it is a great vehicle for that too! Also, because it does not involve a hot stove or oven, this would a great recipe for little ones to help with in the kitchen.
Ingredients:
1 box of Nilla Wafers
6-7 bananas
1 box of instant vanilla pudding, 5 oz size
1 tbsp powdered sugar
2 cups of heavy cream
Method:
Make vanilla pudding according to box’s instructions and set to the side.
Beat powdered sugar and whipping cream until stiff peaks form and set to the side.
Slice bananas to about 1/8in. thickness and set to the side.
Now assemble:
In a 9x13 dish, put down a layer of Nilla Wafers cookies to cover the bottom of dish. Place half of sliced bananas on top of the cookies, cover with half of the pudding mixture, smoothing it out. Place another layer of cookies on top of the pudding, place the rest of the bananas on top, and then top with the rest of the pudding mixture. Top with the whipped cream and crumble some the remaining cookies on top for show.
Save a couple of cookies for a low moment and stash in a safe place!
Place pudding into the fridge to chill for 3-4 hours.
Or eat it before it chills. Honestly, there are no rules for quarantine-cooking.
