National Vanilla Pudding Day!
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You are familiar with that little, pale box on the grocery store shelf, right? Humbly it identifies itself as Vanilla Pudding Mix. But you and I know it is a shortcut gateway to a huge assortment of delicacies! Today is its day to shine: National Vanilla Pudding Day!
So where to start? Delicate, moist S'more cookie? Tender Chocolate Chip cookie? Check!
How about a shortcut to a moist Vanilla Cake? Check! Caribbean Rum Cake? Check!
My Favorite, however, is my Mini Dulce de Leche Banana Cream Pie, tweaked to be served for a crowd in mini 2-4 oz cups.
So as the days grow longer and warmer, treat your loved ones (or yourself - I promise, I won't tell) to this creamy and refreshing incarnation of our humble Vanilla Pudding. Spoons optional - fingers work well too!
Mini Dulce de Leche Banana Cream pie
Updated version for Banana Cream pie
Equipment: 8 x 4oz ramekins (or 20 x 2 oz)
Ingredients:
1.5 cups Graham crumbs 1/4 cup butter, +2 tbsp. melted 3.8 ounces Instant Vanilla pudding 1 cup cold water 14 oz. Sweetened condensed milk, can 3-4 medium bananas 2 pints whipping cream 2/3 cup powdered sugar 1 cup Caramel sauce
Directions:
1. Melt your butter in the microwave in a dish then place your graham crumbs in the bowl. Mix quickly with a fork. Place 2 tablespoons of graham mixture in the bottom of each ramekin and press down gently to form a crust. Cut up 2 and a half bananas into slices and pop them on top of graham layer. Drizzle with a little caramel sauce.
2. In a medium bowl, combine pudding mix, cold water, and sweetened condensed milk. Mix well and place in the refrigerator to chill for a few minutes. In another bowl, whip 1 c. of whipping cream until soft peaks form.
3. Remove pudding from the fridge and gently fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture until well-combined.
4. Fill ramekins with the pudding mix to the rim. Whip the second cup of whipping cream with the last 1/3 powdered sugar and then pipe decoratively over the ramekins’ tops. Drizzle a little more caramel sauce over the top of the whipped cream and then refrigerate until serving, uncovered.
