Description
Ina Garten’s banana rum trifle combines rich layers of creamy custard, ripe bananas, and rum-soaked cake for an irresistible dessert. Guests will savor each spoonful of this elegant English-style treat that promises a delightful balance of flavors and textures.
Ingredients
Scale
Banana Pudding Ingredients:
Main Ingredients:
- 6 large bananas, sliced ½ inch thick
- 1 (1-pound) box Nabisco Ginger Snaps
- 3 cups (710 milliliters) cold heavy cream
- 1 (14-ounce / 397 grams) can sweetened condensed milk
Dairy and Thickening Ingredients:
- 1.5 cups (355 milliliters) whole milk
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup (50 grams) sugar
Flavoring Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Seeds from 1 split vanilla bean
- 3 tablespoons dark rum, such as Mount Gay
- Sweetened Whipped Cream, for decorating
Instructions
- Create a silky pudding base by combining milk, cornstarch, and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat over medium temperature, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens and becomes smooth. Cook for an additional minute, then incorporate sweetened condensed milk. Transfer the pudding to a clean bowl and seal with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour or up to 24 hours to allow flavors to develop and mixture to cool completely.
- Prepare the cream mixture by pouring cold heavy cream (237 milliliters or 8 fluid ounces) into a mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, beat on low speed until the cream begins to thicken, then increase to high speed until soft peaks form. Gently fold in the chilled milk mixture, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, and rum. Continue whisking on medium speed for approximately 3 minutes until the mixture achieves a soft, luxurious texture.
- Construct the trifle layers in a 3.3-liter (3½-quart) glass serving bowl with straight sides. Begin with a foundation of carefully arranged cookies, breaking them as needed to create a complete bottom layer that touches the bowl’s sides. Add a generous layer of sliced bananas, followed by a quarter of the prepared cream mixture. Repeat the layering process – cookies, bananas, cream – until you have created four distinct layers, ensuring the final layer is a smooth cream topping.
- Allow the trifle to set and meld flavors by chilling for one hour. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. This resting period enables the cookies to absorb the liquid and soften, creating a harmonious texture throughout the dessert.
- Just before serving, enhance the trifle’s presentation by adding a decorative layer of sweetened whipped cream on top. Garnish with remaining ginger snaps, strategically placed for visual appeal and added crunch. Serve the trifle well-chilled, allowing guests to appreciate the complex layers and intricate flavors.
Notes
- Snag perfectly ripe bananas that are sweet yet still holding their shape for maximum flavor depth.
- Carefully press ginger snap cookies against the bowl’s sides to create picture-perfect layers that absorb cream evenly.
- Whip cream just until soft peaks form, preventing stiff texture that could compromise the dessert’s delicate structure.
- Allow the entire trifle to rest overnight in the refrigerator, giving cookies time to soften and flavors a chance to mingle and intensify.
- Ensure pudding mixture is completely chilled before folding in whipped cream to maintain a light, airy consistency that makes each spoonful irresistible.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 of 10 servings
- Calories: 692
- Sugar: 69.6 g
- Sodium: 253 mg
- Fat: 37.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 21.0 g
- Carbohydrates: 82.9 g
- Fiber: 1.8 g
- Protein: 8.0 g
- Cholesterol: 95.6 mg