Roasted Banana Pudding

I'm not a huge fan of bananas.

Unless they are dunked in chocolate, of course. But I found this recipe in Cooking Light magazine and I just had to give it a whirl. They always make their recipes SO appealing, don't they? I'm a sucker for great food photography.  But Roasted Banana Pudding? I was intrigued. Roasting intensifies flavor...........as I quickly found out after just one bite of this absolutely scrumptious dessert. Try it once, and you'll go bananas too!

I used a large footed trifle bowl.........for presentation of course, but that's just the "Martha" in me. Really, any deep bowl will work. Here's the "hijacked" recipe....

5 -7 ripe unpeeled medium bananas (about 2 pounds)

1 box Jello Vanilla or Banana Pudding

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 (12-ounce) container frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed and divided

45 vanilla wafers, divided

Mini chocolate chips (optional)

Butterscotch or caramel topping (optional)

Take six or seven large bananas (skins on) and place them on a cookie sheet, then cover them with a piece of parchment paper. Place them in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove three bananas from the oven and let them cool down. They will be blackened and very very HOT!  Hot bananas everyone! Get your red-hot bananas!  See? That doesn't work....it just doesn't even sound good.

Unless you're a monkey.

Peel the bananas and slice into 1/2 inch slices.

Bake the remaining bananas for an additional 20 minutes. Remove them from the oven and let them slightly cool, then peel them and mash them with a fork in a small bowl with the vanilla.

Here's where the Cooking Light recipe hits the skids. I cheated. Instead of making the pudding from scratch.................I used Jello brand Banana pudding.  Yea, yea, I know.  I've always taken the road less traveled. you experience so many fun things that way! Where was I? Oh yes. The pudding. 

Prepare the pudding as directed on the box and refrigerate. When it's cool, mix the pudding with the mashed banana mixture and the entire container of whipped topping. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes then roll up your sleeves and get ready to layer it up! I should have used a smaller bowl, because technically speaking, it really should be filled right up to the tippity-top. So maybe the next time I'll double the recipe. You can never have too much.

Start the first layer by covering the bottom of your bowl with some of the banana custard mixture.

Then cover that layer with about 20 Nilla (or your favorite brand) Vanilla Wafers.

Breathe.

Then cover that layer with more of the banana custard and sliced bananas.

Then repeat.

Breathe.

Repeat.

Breathe.

Repeat.

Exhale.

Wait!

"When did she slip in those chocolate chips?", you ask??  Hey, I'm a risk taker and a rule breaker....especially when it comes to chocolate. I also used ginger snaps to garnish the top layer. Then before I served it to "my peeps", I drizzled each portion with some warm caramel sauce.

So good.

 I have no regrets. 

And neither will you.