Not yo' Momma's 'nilla wafer banana pudding. These banana pudding parfaits are stacked with rum-soaked sponge cake, thick pastry cream, chunks of banana and fresh whipped cream. Over-the-top!
Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9" round cake pan with vegetable spray. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the cake pan and press it into the pan. Respray the parchment paper and set it aside.
Measure all ingredients into a large mixer bowl. Blend for 30 seconds on low speed, scraping the bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes high-speed scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the top is golden and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a cooling rack.
FOR PASTRY CREAM
In a small saucepan, combine the milk & ½ cup sugar. Use a sharp knife to split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and add them to the milk mixture. Heat over medium-high heat until the milk is steaming but not simmering or boiling. Remove the pan from the burner.
In a small bowl, combine the egg yolks and the remaining two tablespoons of the sugar, and whisk for 1-2 minutes until well combined and slightly thick. Add the cornstarch and whisk until completely incorporated.
Whisking quickly and constantly (so the eggs don't scramble), stream about ½ cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture.
When combined, whisk in the rest of the milk and pour the egg mixture back into the pan. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom and sides of the pan to prevent scorching, until the mixture thickens about 2 minutes.
Add the butter and stir until well blended, then add the rum and stir to combine. Transfer the custard to a container and cover it with plastic wrap -- pressing the wrap onto the surface of the custard to prevent skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight.
FOR RUM SYRUP
Combine the rum and sugar in a small saucepan and heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
FOR STABILIZED WHIPPED CREAM
Place the gelatin and water in a microwave-safe bowl. Let stand for two minutes so the gelatin will bloom and become soft.Microwave in 10-second intervals until all the gelatin granules are dissolved. Set aside to cool but not set.This is important.
Add the whipped cream to the mixer bowl and whisk at medium speed using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment.
After a minute, – slowly begin adding in the sugar. Once the cream has reached between soft and stiff peaks, add a tablespoon or two of whipped cream to the gelatin to equalize the temperature.
Pour the gelatin mixture into the mixing bowl and whip until the cream holds stiff peaks. Do not overbeat.
FOR THE BANANAS:
Combine the fruit, sugar and rum in a medium bowl. Toss to coat and set aside.
HOW TO MAKE PARFAITS:
Brush the cake with the rum syrup and let it soak in. Break apart the cake into small pieces. Fill a pastry bag with a star tip with about half of the whipped cream and set aside. In pretty individual 8-ounce glasses, layer a tablespoon or so of pastry cream, followed by pieces of cake, a spoonful or two of fruit and a dollop of whipped cream. Continue layering until the glass is filled. To finish the parfait, pipe a little whipped cream on top and garnish with a piece of fruit.Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.Note: With stabilized whipped cream, the cream will stay set for 2-3 days, so you can make this dessert ahead of time without fear of the whipped cream breaking down.
Notes
Parfaits will keep covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.