Banana Pudding

heavy cream

🥗Healthier: coconut cream

💰Cheaper: whipped topping

Coconut cream adds richness with fewer calories.

vanilla pudding mix

🥗Healthier: homemade custard

💰Cheaper: instant pudding

Homemade custard enhances flavor without preservatives.

sugar

🥗Healthier: honey

💰Cheaper: agave syrup

Honey adds sweetness with a unique flavor.

vanilla extract

🥗Healthier: almond extract

💰Cheaper: imitation vanilla

Almond extract provides a different but pleasant flavor.

Add 2 cups of cold whole milk into a large bowl.

Add 1 can of sweetened condensed milk into the bowl.

Sprinkle in 1 packet of instant pudding and whisk until combined and smooth, ensuring all lumps are removed.

Chill the pudding mixture in the fridge for about 5 minutes to set up.

In a separate bowl, whip 2 cups of heavy cream with 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of vanilla until firm peaks form, being careful not to overwhip.

Slice 3 to 4 large bananas into thin coins, about a quarter of an inch thick, and set aside. Do not cut them too far in advance to prevent browning.

Fold the whipped cream into the chilled pudding mixture gently using a spatula.

In a trifle dish, add a layer of Nilla wafers at the bottom.

Pour about a quarter of the pudding mixture over the cookies and smooth it out with a spatula.

Add another layer of Nilla wafers on top of the pudding, ensuring some cookies are on the edges.

Add a layer of banana slices on top of the cookies.

Pour another quarter of the pudding mixture over the bananas and smooth it out.

Repeat the layers: add more cookies, more banana slices, and another quarter of pudding, smoothing it out each time.

Press banana coins against the glass of the trifle dish for decoration.

Top with a final layer of cookies at the edge and sprinkle remaining banana slices on top.

Mix up one more batch of whipped cream using 1 cup of cream, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla, then smooth it over the top of the pudding.

Crumble a few cookies on top for garnish.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens