This chilled dessert is easy to make, serves a crowd, has many flavor variations, and can be prepared in advance. Serve it in a trifle or in a self-serve dessert bar with toppings of your choice. This is one of my favorite desserts to make when hosting! Adapted from Chocolate Banana Pudding by A Bountiful Kitchen.

Ingredients

Chocolate:

• 1 cup cold water
• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 small box (3.4 oz) chocolate pudding
• 3 cups heavy whipping cream
• 3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• (Topping Ideas: Oreo sandwich cookies and bananas, chocolate muffins and red berries)

Vanilla:

• 1 cup cold water
• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 small box (3.4 oz) vanilla pudding
• 3 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• (Topping Ideas: Vanilla wafer cookies and bananas, angel food cake and red berries)

Pistachio:

• 1 cup cold water
• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 small box (3.4 oz) pistachio pudding
• 3 cups heavy whipping cream
• ½ tsp almond extract
• (Topping Ideas: Pistachio muffins and chopped pistachios)

Directions

1. Whisk together water and sweetened condensed milk. Add pudding mix and whisk until smooth. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours so the pudding can set up.

2. Whip the heavy cream and remaining flavor ingredient(s) until stiff.

3. Using a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the set-up pudding mixture.

4. Refrigerate until ready to serve. If making a trifle with dry cookies, refrigerate for at least 4 more hours to allow cookies to soften. For a dessert bar, serve with any toppings you would like (fruit, nuts, cake pieces, cookie crumbs, etc.).

Notes

*I have not tried using any fat-free or sugar-free substitutes, but the multiple recipes I followed all warned against doing so. Substitute at your own risk!