Description
A refreshing and indulgent Southern-style dessert featuring layers of creamy vanilla pudding, fresh bananas, strawberries, and crispy Nilla wafer cookies, all topped with homemade strawberry sauce and whipped cream.
Ingredients
For the Strawberry Sauce
- 3-4 cups fresh strawberries, stems removed, sliced thin
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup organic cane sugar
- 1/2 lemon, freshly squeezed
- 3 tablespoons strawberry preserves/jam
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Vanilla Pudding
- 3 (1 oz.) boxes vanilla instant pudding mix (Jell-O brand recommended)
- 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups VERY COLD filtered water or milk (unsweetened almond milk or whole milk optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (8 oz.) container whipped cream, store-bought or homemade
For Assembly
- 4 organic bananas, sliced
- 2 (11 oz.) boxes Nilla wafer cookies
- Additional 1 cup whipped cream
- Sliced fresh strawberries or spoonfuls of strawberry sauce for drizzle
- Crushed Nilla wafer cookies for garnish
Instructions
- Make the Strawberry Sauce: In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine sliced strawberries, water, cane sugar, freshly squeezed lemon juice, strawberry preserves, and ground cinnamon. Stir frequently as the strawberries soften. Continue cooking and stirring until the mixture thickens slightly, about 5-6 minutes. Remove the sauce from heat and allow it to cool completely.
- Prepare the Vanilla Pudding: Using a hand mixer in a mixing bowl, combine the very cold water or milk with the vanilla instant pudding mixes and sweetened condensed milk. Mix on medium-high speed, increasing speed as the mixture thickens, for about 4-5 minutes until it becomes smooth pudding-like consistency. Next, fold in the whipped cream and vanilla extract gently, mixing for another minute to incorporate fully.
- Assemble the Pudding: In a trifle bowl or your preferred serving dish, begin layering by placing a layer of Nilla wafer cookies, followed by sliced bananas, then a layer of the vanilla pudding mixture. Spoon a few dollops of the cooled strawberry sauce over the pudding layer. Repeat the layering process until all ingredients are used.
- Garnish and Chill: Top the assembled pudding with extra dollops of whipped cream, crushed Nilla wafer cookies, and a drizzle of strawberry sauce or fresh strawberry slices for an appealing finish. Refrigerate the pudding for at least 4 hours before serving to allow flavors to meld; chilling overnight is recommended for best results.
- Serve: Once chilled, serve the pudding chilled and enjoy the delicious harmony of creamy, fruity, and crunchy textures.
Notes
- Use Jell-O brand vanilla instant pudding for best consistency as noted in the recipe.
- For a dairy-free alternative, replace milk and whipped cream with unsweetened almond milk and dairy-free whipped topping, respectively.
- The pudding benefits from being refrigerated overnight for deeper flavor and texture development.
- Crushed Nilla wafers can be substituted with any gluten-free vanilla cookie if necessary.
- Make sure the water or milk used for pudding preparation is very cold to ensure proper thickening of the instant pudding mixes.
