Right out of college, my Pennsylvania Dutch husband accepted a job in North Carolina. While living there, he fell in love with, not me, but banana cream pie! He’s not a big dessert guy, nor that passionate about cake so I was never too sure what to make him for his birthday(my favorite cake usually won out!). A few years ago I stumbled upon a recipe in Southern Living for a Banana Pudding Trifle. I had never made trifle before nor owned a proper trifle dish. I made it for him in a low, wide-mouth vase actually! I have beeen searching for a perfect trifle bowl since and recently found it! A young neighbor was having a Pampered Chef party and they had the best trifle bowl for sale. This ingenius contraption had a separate pedestal base for easier washing, chilling and storage plus it had its own lid. 


Brilliant and just in time for Prince Charming’s birthday! With a name like Peanut Brittle-Banana Pudding Trifle, you know this is going to be good!
PEANUT BRITTLE-BANANA PUDDING TRIFLE (adapted from Southern Living Magazine)
serves 10-12
1 1/3 c sugar
3/4 c flour
1/2 t salt
4 c whole milk
8 eggs yolks
1 T vanilla
12 oz of either vanilla wafers, Nutter Butter cookies or pound cake
3 T bourbon or rum
6-7 bananas, sliced
6 (1.4oz) peanut brittle candy bars, crushed(I used Munch bars)
2 c whipping cream
2 T powdered sugar
PREPARATION:
To make the pudding: Combine sugar, salt and flour in a heavy saucepan.
Whisk in milk and bring to a boil while whisking continuously. Remove from heat. Beat egg yolks in a separate bowl until thick and pale.
Gradually add about 1/4 of hot milk mixture to the egg yolks, mixing non- stop.
Repeat 3 times and mix until smooth and thick. Add vanilla.
Crush your candy bars. Break up your cookies roughly or cube your pound cake, if using.
To assemble the trifle: Layer 1/3 of your wafers( I used pound cake) in the bottom of a 4 quart trifle dish.
Lightly brush with 1/3 of the bourbon. Top with 1/3 of the banana slices.
Spoon 1/3 of the pudding over the bananas and top with 1/3 cup of the crushed candy.
Repeat this layering twice more. Beat the whipping cream with the 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Spread the whipping cream over the pudding-banana layers and sprinkle with the remaining crushed candy.
Cover and chill 3 hours minimum.
Happy Birthday, Honey!