Best Banana Pudding for Poppy

Fear not. My hiatus from this lovely blog has allowed me to bring you a Heaven sent desert. Banana pudding is a classic, but this version takes the classic to a whole new level and brings a nice new texture and creaminess to the table. I had the opportunity to make this for a very special someone, when I had the pleasure of having a lovely dinner with the best grandfather any girl could ever ask for, my Poppy. He is a force to be reckoned with, and I hope that everyone one of you can have the opportunity to know and love someone as supportive, hard working, and loving as this special man. He is a steady rock despite tumultuous circumstances, an inspiring example of a Christian man, and always ready to give me my Red Lobster fix. Plus, over seventy with barely a gray hair and being one of the busiest workers I know - pretty impressive! So I'll dedicate this southern special to my very own southern special grandpa! Love you Poppy!

Would you like to know the secret to amazing banana pudding? Mushy bananas? Nope. Vanilla wafers? Nope, but let's be real - they are amazing. The wonderful cook who makes it? Probably, but not my point. Drum roll please.... NOT using banana pudding in the desert!

Although slightly counter intuitive, it does make a significant difference. The other big difference in this recipe is that the pudding is lightened with homemade whipped cream.  I am not a big pudding fan, so I like to change the texture to a more mouse like consistency. Plus, how cute and fancy does it look in a simple trifle bowl?

Notes:

• A few more or a few less bananas is all dependent upon how banana-y you are.
• If you would like, a 5 oz box of pudding will work just as well. It will simply not be as rich.
• It is actually very cute to use the crumbs in the bottom of the vanilla wafers bag as a decorative sprinkle on the top.
• In my recipe, I used all one mixing bowl because I used a KitchenAid and only have one stainless and one glass bowl and quite frankly I didn't want to get the glass one out! Feel free to use as many bowl as your heart desires.
• The key to whipped cream is to freeze your beaters and at least chill a stainless steel or glass mixing bowl. Also, the whipping cream should be very cold to succeed.

Best Banana Pudding for Poppy

• 1 bag of Vanilla Wafers
• 6 bananas, sliced
• 2 c. very cold milk
• 2 (3.4 oz) boxes of instant French Vanilla Pudding
• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
• 12 oz very cold whipping cream
• 1/4 c. sugar

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the whipping cream to stiff peaks.  Add the sugar gradually to taste to make a sweetened whipped topping. Transfer the whipping cream to a small bowl.

In the same mixing bowl for an electric mixer, beat the cold milk and the instant pudding together on slow for 2 minutes, until thick. Transfer the pudding to another bowl to let it rest.

In the same mixing bowl, cream the cream cheese. Once creamed, add the sweetened condensed milk and beat until smooth. Fold the pudding mixture into the cream cheese mixture. Stir in the whipped cream.

Line the bottom of a trifle bowl with two layers of vanilla wafers. Add two layers of bananas above the wafers.

Spread half of the pudding mixture into the trifle bowl.  Top with another layer of wafers and the remaining bananas. Spread the remaining half of the pudding mixture into the trifle bowl. Top with another layer of wafers, feel free to decorate.

Chill and serve.