Monday, June 16, 2014

Strawberry Pudding



1 cup milk
1 pound package of mini marshmallows
1 container (8 oz.) cool whip
1 lb. strawberries, cleaned and sliced (save enough to decorate top of dish.
1 box of vanilla wafers, finely crushed (save about 1/3 cup to sprinkle over top)

In a large saucepan over low heat, heat milk until scalding (before milk boils).  Add mini marshmallows and stir constantly until melted.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool.  After cooled stir in strawberries.  Fold in cool whip.  Line bottom of a 9 x 13 dish with all but 1/3 cup of the crushed vanilla wafers.  Gently pour and evenly spread pudding mixture over wafers.  Garnish with strawberry toppings and sprinkle with remaining wafer crumbs.  Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Comments:  This recipe came from Kandy's Kitchen Kreations and was her grandmother's recipe for Pineapple - Vanilla Wafer Dessert Pudding.  I made 2 changes.  I used fresh strawberries instead of the pineapple and I used cool whip instead of whipping my own topping.  This dish is one of the best!  It isn't super sweet.  You can change the flavor by changing the fruit.  It can be made in individual serving dishes or you could even make this as a layered dish in a pretty clear dish.  No matter how you decide to make this, it's delicious!  And another variation idea - make it like a banana pudding using whole wafers instead of the crushed.  This would be great if making a layered pudding.  You would simply make a layer of wafers, a layer of strawberries and a layer of the pudding mixture, repeating until all is used.  Use this oldie but goodie to make your own pudding by simply Thinking With Your Taste Buds.  One more thing.  If you let this sit in the refrigerator for a couple hours it will slice.  I was impatient and had to try!


Comment from Carol:  Late season strawberries when they are at their sweetest combined with marshmallow cream and cool whip over crumbled vanilla wafers make this an elegant dessert.  The combination of ingredients heightens the overall sensation of this dessert and slightly changes each ingredient's flavor;  e.g. which is the marshmallow cream?  Which is the cool whip?  Why do the vanilla wafers taste like shortbread?  And all of this with the strawberries is a convincing argument for making sure to rush out to buy those last baskets of strawberries in late spring.  All things considered, though, this dessert would also work well with frozen strawberries.  It works well no matter what (and maybe would be good with peaches or plums too), is attractive on the dessert plate and is almost like a trifle and maybe better!  It's easy to put together and great for guests.



No comments: