Ingredients
Vegan Nilla Wafers
260 g plain white flour aka all purpose flour
2 tablespoon cornstarch
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
120 ml aquafaba (liquid from a can of unsalted chickpeas)
140 g sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
45 ml vegetable oil
Vegan Vanilla Pastry Cream
75 g cashews
400 ml non dairy milk
70 g granulated sugar
50 g cornstarch
1 vanilla pod
¼ teaspoon sea salt
50 g vegan butter
Assembly
5 - 6 ripe bananas (yellow with few spots)
1 batch of Nilla Wafers
1 batch of Pastry Cream
For the Whipped Cream
500 ml plant based whipping cream
100 g powdered sugar
4 tsp vanilla extract
Toasted coconut (optional)
Directions
Vegan Nilla Wafers
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking powder. Mix these until well combined.
Step 3
In a separate bowl or stand mixer. Combine aquafaba and sugar, mixing on high until stiff and glossy peaks form.
Step 4
While the mixer is still running, pour in the vanilla and oil. Be careful not to whisk for too long or else the mixture will deflate too much.
Step 5
Add half of the aquafaba mixture to the dry ingredients and fold to combine. Add in the other half and mix until just combined.
Step 6
Ppe small dollops of the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart. Each cookie should be about 1 inch in diameter. Flatten them slightly with the back of a spoon or a damp finger to give them the classic Nilla wafer shape.
Step 7
Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. The cookies should be slightly soft in the center but will firm up as they cool.
Vegan Vanilla Pastry Cream
Step 1
Soak the cashews in water to soften them for blending.
Step 2
Drain the soaked cashews and place them in a blender. Add all of the non-dairy milk to the blender. Blend until the mixture is very smooth.
Step 3
In a medium saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, cornstarch, and sea salt. Whisk ingredients together to mix them evenly before adding any liquid.
Step 4
Pour the blended cashew and milk mixture into the saucepan with the dry ingredients, whisking constantly to ensure that no lumps form.
Step 5
Split the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds to the saucepan (or use vanilla extract). Mix well to distribute the vanilla evenly throughout the mixture.
Step 6
Place the saucepan over medium heat. Cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until it comes to a boil and thickens significantly. This should take about 5-7 minutes. The mixture should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Step 7
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Let the pastry cream cool slightly before adding the vegan butter. Stir until it is completely melted and integrated into the pastry cream.
Step 8
Pour the pastry cream into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap touches the surface of the cream. Refrigerate until completely cool and set, about 2-3 hours.
Assembly
Step 1
For the Whipped Cream & Pastry Cream
Step 2
In a metal bowl or stand mixer, combine the whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.
Step 3
Whip the mixture until soft peaks form. Fold about 1-2 cups of whipped cream into the cooled pastry cream mixture. This will loosen the pastry cream and make it lighter.
Step 4
Set aside the rest of the cream to chill in the fridge for topping.
Step 5
For the Final Assembly
Step 1
Peel and slice bananas into 1/4 inch rounds
Step 2
In a 9x13 in glass baking dish or tray, place a layer of nilla wafers, followed by a layer of bananas, and then pastry cream. Repeat this layering of nilla wafers, bananas, and pastry cream once more or until tray is full.
Step 3
Top the banana pudding with the remaining whipped cream. Optionally, sprinkle the top with toasted coconut to garnish.
Step 4
Set in the fridge for at least one hour to soften the nilla wafers. Then serve and enjoy!
