Chocolate Banana Cream Trifle - Recipe Review

[leftymac]

Cost of Ingredients: $15.37 (including $3.99 for milk)

When I first read this recipe, I was unsure about it because it didn't have cake like most of our trifles do. I was wondering if the graham crackers were gonna be enough to give it body. It looked similar to the Chocolate Raspberry Cookie Trifle, which I know wasn't that popular. But, I love chocolate and I love bananas, so I had to give it a go!

I was pleased that there were so few ingredients for this trifle. Without my milk purchase, it would've only been around $12! Can't beat that, I think.

While assembling, I left the graham crackers in pretty big chunks (pretty much broke each square into fourths) because I still had the above-mentioned fear due to lack of cake in it.

A few notes:

1. The amount the recipe calls for is nowhere near enough ganache! I had to make a double batch of it. Good thing I had enough cool whip!

2. I would use 6 bananas instead of four.

3. The banana cream pudding might be strong for a lot of people. It smelled a lot like banana-flavored candy, but that was tempered as I folded in the whipped topping.

There's not much to review here as it's a trifle and it's pretty basic. Easy to assemble, and shows a lot of tools. I'm not sure I would use it as a show recipe for two reasons. The first, bananas are an iffy ingredient for a lot of people. The second, I don't think the recipe amounts are accurate! It needed more bananas and more ganache. I felt like I was stretching with what it had. You will notice that there doesn't seem to be much chocolate in the picture I posted for it.

As for the taste, I don't know yet because it's currently sitting in the fridge so the flavors can blend and the graham crackers can soften a bit!

Anyone else made this? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

 

[babywings76]

You'll have to let us know how it tastes. Do you think having chocolate pudding instead of the ganache would be okay, or would that be too much pudding? I'm just thinking maybe that would give more volume of a chocolate layer?

 

[janetupnorth]

I had it Saturday, it tasted good - made per recipe.The banana didn't "overwhelm" at all.

 

[leftymac]

The verdict is in...it's tasty! Very rich, but very good. I do think it needs to sit longer though..I want the graham crackers to be a bit softer. It'd also be good with vanilla wafers instead!I think I'd prefer the ganache over chocolate pudding added instead.

 

[chefann]

You could also make it more chocolatey by using chocolate graham crackers.Yours looks so pretty, Keith!

 

[babywings76]

So then I guess this wouldn't be good for shows if it's best when it sits, huh?

 

[leftymac]

So then I guess this wouldn't be good for shows if it's best when it sits, huh?

That's what I'm thinking -- it's still good, but I just prefer softer graham crackers.

 

[leftymac]

You could also make it more chocolatey by using chocolate graham crackers.

Yours looks so pretty, Keith!

Thanks, Ann!

 

[raebates]

I crunched my grahams up quite a bit, which made them soften a little more quickly. I agree that extra chocolate and bananas would be a plus. The Furry Guy wasn't a fan, but he's not a big banana flavoring fan. (Loves real bananas, though.) His suggestion was to mix 1/2 banana pudding with 1/2 vanilla pudding if you want it a little milder. I think it will be a popular recipe, but I'm not sure about doing it for shows. Like Keith said, banana is an iffy flavor for a lot of people.

 

[kam]

Thanks for the review. THis one interested me too, but like you, I wasn't thrilled with no cake/brownie layer (instead using the graham crackers).

It is good to know about needing the extra gnache and bananas. I might make this for our cluster recipe testing.

But this recipe DID get me thinking about the Brownie Banana Split Pizza (?) from a few years back.

For a gathering I am having this weekend I am going to make a Banana Split Trifle based on the old recipe (using brownies). Brownie, bananas, thawed frozen strawberries in syrup, choc syrup, vanilla pudding mixture with crushed pineapple and cool whip. Topped with chopped walnuts.

 

[raebates]

About the extra bananas. That will probably depend on the size of your bananas. They come in all sizes. I used small bananas for mine, so I felt like it could use some more. The larger bananas I bought last week would probably have been fine.

Spoiler

Wow, I can already hear you people posting banana jokes.:blushing:

 

[janetupnorth]

Oh my! KG has gone 3 hours without posting the dancing banana!

 

[c00p]

I did this at a show I just had on Saturday and it was a HUGE hit!!! I did it per the recipe and people were coming back for seconds. I did make the ganache up ahead of people arriving as well as the pudding/whip cream mixture and just put the pudding mixture in the fridge until I was ready for it. It went together pretty quickly, with the exception of cutting all the bananas - but we played a game while I did that. So all in all, it went very well!!

 

[chefann]

Oh my! KG has gone 3 hours without posting the dancing banana!

I half-heartedly looked for the giant one, but got distracted.

 

[chefann]

http://img308.imageshack.us/img308/7971/bananahuge3rd119202oj.gif

 

[heather223]

Thanks Ann!! And thanks Keith- I think I will pass on making this one! Wonder how it would be if you substituted vanilla pudding and used strawberries??

 

[raebates]

I imagine it would be really tasty.

 

[leftymac]

I'm thinking I would rather use vanilla wafers (or even mini-vanilla wafers) instead of the graham crackers.

 

[leftymac]

http://img308.imageshack.us/img308/7971/bananahuge3rd119202oj.gif

I <3 the cheerleading dancing banana.

 

[raebates]

Nilla Wafers would make it taste more like banana pudding.

 

[peachey]

For those that have made it, do you think strawberries could be substituted for the bananas? I just can't eat bananas, but this recipe sounds good. And, you can't go wrong with Chocolate and Strawberries!!

 

[c00p]

Ooooh, why not? Strawberries and chocolate??? You'd have to change the flavor of your pudding too - maybe white chocolate???

 

[Ish]

I have made something similar with the "chess man" cookies from Pepridge farms... it was very good... it would add almost a shortbread flavor to it...

 

[leftymac]

I have made something similar with the "chess man" cookies from Pepridge farms... it was very good... it would add almost a shortbread flavor to it...

Isn't that Paula Deen's recipe for Banana Pudding? I know hers uses the chessman cookies too.

 

[janetupnorth]

For those that have made it, do you think strawberries could be substituted for the bananas? I just can't eat bananas, but this recipe sounds good. And, you can't go wrong with Chocolate and Strawberries!!

Ah, but then it would be a Chocolate Strawberry Cream Trifle which I think we have a recipe for in the trifle recipe file and not a Chocolate Banana Cream Trifle.

 

[Christ Follower]

I made it last night for a team training and loved it! I think the ganache amount was not too bad. I just put it in the bag and snipped the corner. I made sure it would "show" when doing the layers. I think I would only do this recipe at a show if it were an interactive show. It got 2 thumbs up at our house. I think the graham crackers just made it taste like a banana cream pie.

 

[trps]

Can anyone post the recipe I want to make it for Fri but don't have the recipe

 

[leftymac]

Can anyone post the recipe I want to make it for Fri but don't have the recipe

Look in the files for SB Desserts. it's a pdf file in there of all the desserts from the new Season's Best.

 

[gailz2]

I like the convenience, size, and ease of cutting of a previously frozen pound cake. I think I'll try it with that. Thanks, Keith

 

[trps]

Look in the files for SB Desserts. it's a pdf file in there of all the desserts from the new Season's Best.

I thought it was in the new 09 book are they there? I looked and didn't see it today. I will look again.