Paula Deen's Banana Pudding

I've watched Paula make this but it wasn't until I saw Bake or Break's photos, as usual, that I had to save it under my favorites tab. Its been long over due for testing so I finally made it this week.

Actually, I've been wanting to make this for probably about a year and then I went to a house warming for my brother and Naven. She made a scrumptious fruit trifle with pudding that had cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and whipped cream.

This recipe is very similar. Except the title is misleading. The pudding isn't banana flavored... and it's more like mousse! It's dense, thick, and keeps its shape perfectly, and the only reason you'd call it pudding is because its so rich. I actually can't eat that much of it because so. It doesn't have banana flavor because its made with the french vanilla pudding mix but I would imagine this would be amazing in chocolate, banana, lemon - any flavor! I added some blackberries to my piece - fresh fruit really lightens it up.

Be sure to open both bags of cookies and check them out first. I bought two bags of Chessman cookies, and to my horror they were all crushed, save only 8 cookies from each bag. So thankfully taking pretty pictures was still possible. I just had to put those ugly cookies on the bottom. I only used 4 bananas because it looked like they already filled the dish, even when I neatly placed them around the edge so outsiders can drool when looking through the glass pan.

I have never used my kitchen aid mixer to whip up instant pudding before. It came out so much thicker than when I used to mix by hand. Use whole milk too!

I read the recipe wrong and only bought 8 ounces of whipped cream but it was fine. I guess it would have been a bit more airy. But, I liked how thick it was. Extremely easy, no bake recipe. Can easily serve 20.

PLEASE READ: the recipe says to add the whipped cream to the cream cheese and then add the pudding last. Thats wrong. If you watch Paula's video, (and just from common knowledge if you're a foodie) she blends the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk together, then adds the pudding, and lastly folds in the whipped cream.

**Edit 8-10-11: Made this recipe again for a girls iftar, but with chocolate pudding mix and topped it off with strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries! It was like chocolate mousse! Without raw eggs - awesome! The only thing I would suggest is to add the berries right before serving. I did it the night before and fridged it. The next night, the mousse was more liquidy because the fruit released water. Still tasty though. I'm calling myself stupid right now for not taking any pictures.


Paula Deen's Banana Pudding
Adapted from: Paula Deen

2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies
6 to 8 bananas, sliced
2 cups milk
1 (5-ounce) box instant French vanilla pudding
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whipped cream

Directions
Line the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.

In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Fold in the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate several hours before serving.