Strawberry Banana Pudding
Ingredients
Yield: 10 servings
Pudding Base:
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 ½ cups cold water
1 box (3.4 oz) instant vanilla or strawberry pudding mix
Whipped Cream:
3 cups heavy cream (must be very cold)
The Layers:
1 box (11-12 oz) Nilla Wafers
3 large bananas, sliced into rounds (firm, slightly green bananas work best)
3 cups sliced fresh strawberries
Instructions
1. Prepare the Pudding
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on low speed to combine the sweetened condensed milk and cold water. Add the instant pudding mix and beat for 2 minutes until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight) to firm up.
2. Make the Whipped Cream
In a separate chilled bowl, whip the cold heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
3. Fold the Mixture
Gently fold the whipped cream into the set pudding using a rubber spatula until no streaks remain. Be careful not to over-mix, as you want to keep the filling light and airy.
4. Assemble the Jars
Using 8-ounce mason jars, create layers in the following order:
Bottom: A few Nilla Wafers.
Fruit: A layer of banana slices and strawberry slices.
Cream: A generous dollop of the pudding mixture.
Repeat: Continue layering until the jar is full.
5. Chill & Garnish
Refrigerate the jars for 2–4 hours before serving. This allows the cookies to soften into a cake-like texture. Just before serving, top with an extra cookie and fresh fruit slices.