Description
Creamy caramel banana pudding parfaits deliver a luscious Southern dessert experience with layers of silky custard, ripe bananas, and crisp vanilla wafers. Sweet comfort swirls through each spoonful, inviting you to savor pure indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 ripe bananas
- 2 cups pudding mix
- 1/2 cup caramel sauce
Dairy Components:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup cream cheese
Dry and Flavoring Ingredients:
- 1 cup vanilla wafers
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Crush vanilla wafers into fine crumbs using a food processor or rolling pin, creating a textured base for the parfaits.
- In a mixing bowl, whip heavy cream until soft peaks form, gradually incorporating sugar and vanilla extract for a light, airy consistency.
- Prepare pudding mix according to package instructions, whisking whole milk and cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
- Slice ripe bananas into uniform, thin rounds, ensuring even distribution throughout the parfait layers.
- Warm caramel sauce slightly to enhance its spreadability and create a more fluid drizzling texture.
- Begin layering parfaits in clear glass containers, starting with a generous sprinkle of vanilla wafer crumbs as the foundation.
- Add a layer of sliced bananas, covering the crumb base completely and creating a fresh, fruity tier.
- Gently pour pudding mixture over banana layer, allowing it to settle and fill gaps between fruit slices.
- Drizzle warm caramel sauce in a zigzag pattern, ensuring even coverage and creating visual appeal.
- Repeat layering process: wafer crumbs, bananas, pudding, and caramel sauce until glasses are filled.
- Refrigerate parfaits for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld and layers to set firmly.
- Before serving, garnish with additional crushed wafers and a light sprinkle of salt to enhance overall flavor profile.
Notes
- Crush wafers thoroughly for a fine, even base that provides delightful crunch and texture in every bite.
- Whip cream at cold temperatures to achieve maximum volume and create a light, fluffy consistency that complements the dense pudding layers.
- Choose very ripe, soft bananas for the most intense natural sweetness and easier slicing when creating parfait layers.
- For gluten-free adaptation, substitute vanilla wafers with almond flour cookies or gluten-free graham crackers to maintain the classic crumbly foundation.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: None
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 35 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg