Strawberry Banana Pudding

Ingredients

• CREAMY PUDDING
• 1 x 100g packet instant vanilla pudding mix
• 500ml cold whole milk
• 225g cream cheese, softened
• 1 x 397g can sweetened condensed milk
• 225g frozen whipped topping, thawed
• FOR LAYERING
• 1 x 300g box vanilla wafers
• 3 medium bananas, sliced
• 350g fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
• Additional strawberries, banana slices or crushed wafers, optional, for decorating

Method

1. Place the instant vanilla pudding mix and cold milk in a large bowl.
2. Whisk for approximately 2 minutes, until smooth and beginning to thicken.
3. Leave the pudding to stand for 5 minutes.
4. In a separate large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until completely smooth.
5. Gradually beat the sweetened condensed milk into the cream cheese.
6. Add the prepared vanilla pudding and mix until evenly combined.
7. Fold in the thawed whipped topping gently until no streaks remain.
8. Hull and slice the strawberries.
9. Peel and slice the bananas immediately before assembling the dessert.
10. Arrange a layer of vanilla wafers across the bottom of a 20 × 30cm serving dish.
11. Add a layer of banana slices followed by a layer of strawberries.
12. Spread approximately one-third of the pudding mixture evenly over the fruit.
13. Repeat the wafer, banana, strawberry and pudding layers until the dish is full.
14. Finish with a smooth layer of pudding mixture.
15. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, so the wafers soften.
16. Decorate with additional fruit or crushed vanilla wafers immediately before serving, if desired.
17. Keep refrigerated and consume within 2 days for the best fruit texture.