Strawberry Banana Parfaits

Strawberry Banana Parfaits – Creamy vanilla pudding layered between fresh strawberries and bananas with a graham crackers crumble bottom.I made vanilla pudding. I know this doesn’t sound like much or a big deal. But I really hate vanilla pudding. You can blame my sister Jennifer for this. It is wholly 100% her fault.

When she was in 5th grade and had to do her state report, Mom2 drove all over town stopping at travel agency after travel agency to pick up information on the 50th state, Hawaii. This was before that new-fangled invention called the Internet, when research was done primarily out of books and such. We had a stack of library books on the table, encyclopedias, and travel literature.

Jennifer wasn’t really wasn’t a procrastinator in school. Sure, she had her moments, but somehow this project got saved until the night before it was due. I was the big sister, (and studying history in college), so the task befell me to help her out.

Come one or two am, we were still going strong (let’s ignore the fact she was only 10 or so). But as true De La Cerda women, we got a bit munchy. There was plenty of leftovers in the fridge, plenty of junk we could have eaten, but we opted to make vanilla pudding, that blue box instant stuff hawked by the now dethroned, sweater-wearing Father of Clean Comedy-you know the stuff.

One 3 oz box was not sufficient, so we made two, and making two meant we had to eat two or die trying. Die trying is what happened. Belly ache does not even begin to describe what we felt post-consumption. Until recently, the mere thought of vanilla pudding could induce all out body shivers in the grotesque.

So, making vanilla pudding was pretty brave on my part. Somewhere, the feeling of rabid disgust subsided, and the ability to stand vanilla pudding crept in. I truly believe it’s just a punishment that I want to eat a bite or two vanilla pudding again. You see, I love chocolate, banana, pistachio, butterscotch….But they are on my banned list. One, maybe two bites of the real stuff and about four, maybe six bites of the sugar-free stuff is all I can handle. I was happy in the fact I disliked one flavor, removing the temptation.

This homemade version is fantastic. It puts that blue box stuff to shame. I enjoyed eating with the graham cracker crumble, fruit, and the bit of whipped cream. Perfect balance of sinful and saintly ingredients coming together in this Strawberry Banana Parfaits.

Oh and Jennifer has gotten over her aversion to vanilla pudding too. 

Strawberry Banana Parfaits

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Author: Michelle De La Cerda

Strawberry Banana Parfaits - Creamy vanilla pudding layered between fresh strawberries and bananas with a graham crackers crumble bottom.

Print

Ingredients

• 2 bananas; sliced
• 8-10 strawberries; sliced
• Whipped cream

Pudding

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 eggs; large
• 1 egg yolk; large
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp cornstarch

Graham cracker crumble

• 1 sleeve graham cracker (about 9 sheets)
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• pinch of salt
• 6 tbsp butter; melted

Instructions

Pudding

1. Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium sauce pan that is not heated.
2. Very gradually (a few tablespoons at a time) whisk in milk. Carefully dissolve the cornstarch.
3. Whisk in eggs and egg yolk.
4. Over medium heat and whisking constantly cook until the first set of bubbles form and break.
5. Reduce heat to low; still whisking, cook 2-3 minutes.
6. Remove from heat; immediately pour through a fine-mesh sieve into bowl to remove any clumps. Stir butter and vanilla into hot pudding. Mix well.
7. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding and around the bowl to prevent that rough skin from forming.
8. Place in the refrigerator and chill at least 3 hours, if not overnight.

Graham Cracker Crumble

1. In a food processor, pulse the cookies until it is crumbs. It can be fine or chunky, this is a matter of personal preference.
2. Remove the crumbs from the food processor and add to a bowl.
3. Mix to combine the sugars and salt into the crumbs.
4. Pour the melted butter in, and using a fork, mix to make wet crumbs. It will occasionally clump together.

Assembly

1. Add about 2 tbsp graham cracker crumbles to the bottom of bowls, glasses, or dishes.
2. Layer the bananas and the strawberries.
3. Add 1/4 cup or so of pudding.
4. Add a dollop of whipped cream
5. Sprinkle with more graham cracker crumble.
6. Chill for 15 then serve.
7. Cover is going to to serve after the initial 15 minutes chill and set time.
8. Enjoy.

Whisked eggs, milk, and plastic cover to prevent ‘skin’ from forming.

Thank you for sharing!