Description
This is the perfect light and luscious dessert to serve on a hot day. It’s cold and refreshing and can be made in advance. Simply wait until serving to add the banana slices.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
CRUST
- 2 1/4 cups fine vanilla cookie crumbs
- 10 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Dash of salt
FILLING
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 small 3.4 ounce packages instant banana cream pudding mix, divided
- 3 8–ounce packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 tablespoon milk
TOPPING
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon dry instant banana pudding mix
GARNISH
- Vanilla wafer crumbs, optiona
- Banana slices
- Whole vanilla wafers
Instructions
CRUST
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter or spray the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Add the cookie crumbs, butter, sugar and salt to a medium bowl and mix well. Make sure the crumbs are fine so they will stick together better.
- Spread the crumbs over the bottom of the baking dish. Using the bottom of a measuring cup, pat the crumbs down and evenly in the bottom of the baking dish.
- Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes, long enough to set the crust but not brown it. Refrigerate the crust for 1 hour or until chilled before adding the filling.
FILLING
- Add the whipping cream, powdered sugar and 1 box of the pudding to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until the whipping cream is thick. Transfer the whipping cream to a smaller bowl and refrigerate, while you beat the cream cheese.
- To the same mixing bowl, add the cream cheese. Beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until it’s creamy and smooth, (free of any lumps). Add all of the second box of pudding except for 1 tablespoon and the milk. (Reserve the 1 tablespoon for the topping). Beat the cream cheese, milk and pudding together until well combined. Fold in the whipped cream and mix on low or with a spatula to combine.
- Spread the filling evenly over the chilled crust. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate several hours or overnight.
TOPPING
- Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and dry pudding mix to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on high until the whipping cream is very thick.
- Fill a piping bag fitted with your favorite tip two-thirds full of the whipping cream. Using a knife, score the top of the dessert into 12 servings. Squeeze out a generous amount on the top of each serving.
GARNISH
- Place banana slices and whole cookies on top.
- Garnish with a sprinkling of cookie crumbs if desired.
Notes
- Cover leftovers with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- You can freeze this dessert, (minus the bananas) for up to 3 months. Wrap securely. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.