Banana Chocolate Trifle

Serves: 8–10
Prep: 25 minutes
Chill: 2–4 hours

Ingredients

• 5–6 ripe bananas, sliced
• 1 box (5.1 oz / 144 g) instant vanilla pudding mix
• 3 cups cold milk
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1½ cups chocolate pudding or chocolate ganache
• 2 cups crushed vanilla wafers or shortbread cookies
• ½ cup chocolate shavings or curls
• Optional: ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Make the components

1. Vanilla pudding: Whisk pudding mix with cold milk for about 2 minutes. Let it thicken for 5 minutes.
2. Whipped cream: Beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
3. Chocolate layer: Use prepared chocolate pudding, or make a quick ganache with ½ cup chocolate + ¼ cup hot heavy cream, stirred until smooth and cooled slightly.

Assemble

In a large trifle bowl:

1. Add a layer of crushed cookies.
2. Add banana slices around the outside and across the layer.
3. Spoon over vanilla pudding.
4. Add a layer of chocolate pudding/ganache.
5. Add whipped cream.
6. Repeat the layers until the bowl is nearly full.
7. Finish with whipped cream, plenty of banana slices, and chocolate curls/shavings.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. For the freshest bananas, add some of the decorative banana slices shortly before serving.