Mini Wafer Parfait Recipes

BANANA PUDDING PARFAITS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, whisk the sugar, cornstarch, salt, and egg yolks. Whisk in the milk and bring to simmer, stirring frequently, over medium heat (it will take 5 to 8 minutes). When the mixture starts to bubble, turn the heat down to low and continue cooking, whisking constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture thickens. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately whisk in the butter, vanilla and rum. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap directly over the pudding to prevent a film from forming. Chill in the refrigerator until cool, a few hours. (To hurry it up, you can place the bowl in an ice bath and whisk occasionally until cold.)
• Once the pudding is cold, place the heavy cream in a medium mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, whip on medium-low speed until the whisk or beaters begin to leave tracks in the cream. Add the confectioners' sugar and whip until the cream holds medium, silky peaks. Go slowly towards the end; if it gets grainy or curdled, you've gone too far. Use a rubber spatula to fold the whipped cream into the cold pudding.
• Spoon a large dollop of the pudding mixture into the bottom of each parfait glass. Top with one layer of cookie pieces and one layer of sliced bananas. Repeat once and top with a final layer of pudding. Crumble some of the cookie pieces and sprinkle over top. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 12 hours.
• *Do not slice the bananas until you are ready to assemble the parfaits.

BANANA PUDDING PARFAITS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes. Whisk in sour cream and vanilla. Fold in three-fourths of the whipped topping. , Set aside eight vanilla wafers. Place one wafer into each of eight parfait glasses; top with a third of the banana slices and pudding mixture. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining whipped topping. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Garnish with reserved vanilla wafers.

STRAWBERRIES & CREAM MINI PARFAITS

Steps:

• To a medium bowl, add the strawberries and sugar. Mix until the mixture is mostly combined. Set aside, covered in room temperature for at least 45 minutes.
• To a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (hand mixer works well too), over medium/high speed, whip the heavy cream until slightly thickened. Increase the speed to high and whip until thickened and medium peaks form.
• Turn off the mixer and add the powdered sugar and the vanilla extract. Turn the mixer back to low speed and whip until the confectioner's sugar is mostly combined. Increase the speed to high and whip until completely thickened and the mixture forms stiff peaks.
• Spoon into a large piping bag fitted with a large star or round tip and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Prepare six 5 ounce dessert glasses or bowls. To glass dessert glasses (or bowls) add a couple of spoonfuls of macerated strawberries.
• Pipe vanilla whipped cream on top, followed by more strawberries.
• Top with vanilla whipped cream. Garnish with a strawberry.
• Makes six mini parfaits.

VANILLA WAFER COOKIES THAT ARE BETTER THAN STOREBOUGHT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Beat butter and sugar in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla extract. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and mix the dry ingredients thoroughly into butter mixture. Drop cookies about 2 inches apart, 1 teaspoon at a time, onto ungreased baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges of cookies are golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool cookies on wire racks.