Banana Dulce de Leche Trifle
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Layered dessert with banana slices, a thick dulce de leche spread, crumbly biscuit crunch and airy whipped cream. Combines a homemade pastry cream thickened on stovetop, toasted oat crumble for rustic texture, and whipped coconut cream substitute for a dairy twist. Chill determines melding and softness. Balances sweet rich caramel notes with fresh fruit and crispy bits. Versatile as fridge showpiece, tastes better day after. Classic banoffee reinvented but comfort remains. Works without nuts, simple swaps possible without losing punch.
Prep:
30 min
Cook:
50 min
Total:
80 min
Servings:
12 servings
#dessert
#dairy-free
#layered dessert
#bananas
#dulce de leche
#oat crumble
#pastry cream
#whipped coconut cream
Started fooling around with banoffee years ago; too sweet, too cloying. Switched up standard biscuit base for toasted oats—added chew I didn’t expect but loved. Cream custard, tricky beast — always an eye on stove, no shortcuts. Mixing bluntness of corn starch with delicate eggs takes finesse. Coconut cream whipped gives tropical body without heaviness, dairy optional. Dulce de leche a sticky punch, trading off with fresh banana. Look for ripe but firm; mushy kills texture. Layers vital, let flavors marry overnight or patience fails. Banoffee’s not just sweet lumps; it’s layers, tactile, aroma, crackle. Some days, mess it up—too watery or curdled custard. All part of the craft. Take time, smell the caramel toasting, hear the crackle of crumble cooling, see banana edges blush. You get better with practice.
Ingredients
Pastry Cream
- 40 g (3 tbsp) sugar
- 18 g (2 tbsp) cornstarch
- 25 ml (1.5 tbsp) all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 600 ml (2.5 cups) milk
- 5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
Oat Crumble
- 100 g (2/3 cup) rolled oats
- 60 g (1/3 cup) flour
- 75 g (5 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
Whipped Cream
- 500 ml (2 cups) coconut cream, chilled
- 35 g (2.5 tbsp) sugar
- 5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
Filling
- 4 ripe bananas, sliced
- 200 ml (¾ cup plus 2 tbsp) dulce de leche
- 10 ladyfinger biscuits, halved
About the ingredients
Quantities shifted down 30 percent to reduce richness. Cornstarch cut, flour in pastry cream trimmed to keep silky, slight wiggle room. Replaced Graham crumbs with rolled oats for deeper nuttiness; oats toast differently, moisture level varies, but crunch stays. Substituted heavy cream with coconut cream; dairy-free option, whips differently but adds subtle coconut aroma that surprises and lifts. Ladyfinger count reduced, given overall lighter crumble quantity to balance moisture. Bananas still star—firm ripeness crucial. Dulce de leche amount dialed slightly back so sweetness doesn’t overwhelm, and you taste layers not just sugar. Vanilla in custard and cream boosted for aromatic punch. Butter in crumble kept consistent; key for binding oats crumb. Common swaps: digestive biscuits instead of ladyfingers; powdered gelatin in cream to stabilize; lemon or lime juice lightly brushed banana slices if prepping early to preserve color.
Method
Pastry Cream
- Heat milk in a saucepan just before it bubbles -- don't let it boil over. In a bowl, whisk sugar with cornstarch and flour thoroughly; lumps kill texture. Add eggs, mix until pale and smooth. Slowly pour hot milk into egg mix, whisking constantly or you'll get scrambled eggs. Return mixture to pan. Medium heat only. Stir from edges and bottom with a flat spatula. When cream thickens and leaves the spatula clean, it’s ready; about 6 minutes, watch closely. No lumps? Sift through fine mesh if necessary. Cover surface with cling film right away to avoid skin; cool 1.5 hours at room temp then fridge 1 hour minimum. Bring to near room temperature before use, brisk stir to loosen.
Oat Crumble
- Oats bring rustic chew, swap Graham crumbs for natural nutty hit. Mix oats, flour, softened butter in bowl. Press and crumble with fingers into uneven clumps. Use backing sheet with parchment paper. Bake midway rack at 175°C (347°F) for 12-14 minutes. Stir halfway. Golden brown edges no black spots; smells toasted and rich but not burnt. Cool on rack. Crumble should feel dry and crackly, not greasy or pale.
Whipped Coconut Cream
- Chill coconut cream in fridge overnight; skim thick layer only if separated. Beat with electric whisk on medium, add vanilla and sugar gradually. Peaks form slower than dairy cream. Stop when tips hold but still soft, or risk grainy texture. Works best cold and stiff. Great to use if dairy allergy. Can substitute heavy cream if preferred, adding 1 tsp powdered gelatin dissolved in warm water for extra hold.
Assembly
- Use clear glass bowl to see layers. Start with half pastry cream — the base must be cool and thick. Arrange banana slices against bowl walls where they'll peek through — they bruise fast, handle gently. Dollop half dulce de leche over bananas; spread but not too thin, caramel weighs down. Layer half ladyfinger halves next; absorb some moisture but keep shape, texture is key here or trifle falls flat. Spread half whipped cream over that; soft peaks layer well. Sprinkle half crumble sparingly; too much dulls creaminess. Repeat every layer in same order. Final crumble top stays dry and crunchy after chilling.
- Cover tightly, chill min 5 hours or overnight. Trifle is at best texture next day when flavors mellow and biscuits soften slightly but not soggy. Serve within 48 hours to avoid banana browning and cream separation.
- Use ripe but firm bananas for hold; too ripe and juices swamp layers. For upside, add a pinch of ground cinnamon to dulce de leche to cut sweetness. If short on time, pastry cream can be cooled in ice bath with stirring for 10 minutes before refrigeration to speed thickening. Crumble can be swapped with crushed digestive biscuits toasted gently, but oats add a rustic bite that luxury biscuits lack.
- Mistakes to avoid: overheating cream leads to curdling — patience stirring constant key. Crumble too soft? Bake longer but watch edges. Whipped coconut cream overbeaten turns coarse; stop at shiny smooth peaks. Bananas must be sliced last minute to avoid brown spots, use acidulated water (lemon juice diluted) if prepping earlier to hold color.
Cooking tips
Stove technique for pastry cream demands constant whisking to prevent lumps or scrambling eggs. Heat medium, no rush; thickness evident when cream clings to spatula and leaves bare pan spots. Cover surface with plastic wrap immediately to avoid skin forming. Crumble - the uneven clumping—don’t overmix or you’ll lose crisp texture. Bake until golden on edges; watch browning carefully, aroma changes signal doneness better than timer. Whipping coconut cream slower; peak test crucial. Stop before graininess. Assembly aggressive layering; bananas pressed gently against bowl wall show layers through glass. Ladyfingers absorb moisture just right, do not let soak too long or trifle turns mushy. Chilling essential for melding but finish within two days, bananas brown fast, cream may leak water. Rushing or skipping resting stages loses layered magic. Efficient use of prep time: cool pastry cream in ice bath if short on fridge space; crumble can be baked ahead. Use spatulas for spreading, avoid vigorous stirring when layering; preserve integrity of layers and textures.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Heat milk just before bubbling, no boil or cream curdles. Whisk sugar, cornstarch and flour hard before eggs. Pour milk slow, constant whisk or scrambled eggs happen fast. Medium heat on return, low patience. Cover with plastic wrap tight, no skin forms. Cool completely before layering; lukewarm messes texture.
- 💡 Oats swap better than Graham crumbs. Toast edges till golden brown, smell nutty, not burnt. Stir halfway for evenness. Crumble dry and crackly, not greasy or pale. Overbaked black bits spoil texture. Press crumble unevenly with fingers—too fine loses rustic crunch. Bake on parchment for easy clean.
- 💡 Coconut cream must chill overnight, thick top only. Whip medium speed adding sugar and vanilla slowly. Peaks come late; stop at soft tips to avoid grainy. Heavy cream swap fine but add 1 tsp powdered gelatin dissolved warm for hold. Cold bowl helps whip better, all about temperature and patience.
- 💡 Bananas slice last minute, bruise fast. Press against bowl gently to show layers. Too ripe means juices swamp layers, mushy feel. Acidulated water bath if sliced early—lemon diluted in water keeps color. Dulce de leche goes thick, not thin spread; caramel weight sinks layers if overspread. Ladyfingers hold shape best when halved and layered evenly.
- 💡 Layer with care. Half every ingredient first round then repeat. Spread cream thin to let crumble shine on top—not bury it. Chill minimum 5 hours or overnight for flavor meld. Serve within 2 days; bananas brown and cream leaks water after. Ice bath fast cool pastry if pressed for time; crumble baked ahead is fine. Use spatulas gently, don’t stir layers.
Common questions
How to avoid lumps in pastry cream?
Whisk powder sugars hard first. Add eggs slowly. Pour hot milk slow in stream while whisking. Medium heat stir edges constant. Cover surface asap with cling wrap to avoid skin. No rushing, lumps signal uneven mix or temp too high.
Can whipped coconut cream substitute dairy cream?
Yes, but chill it well. Only whip thick top layer, cold bowl helps. Add sugar and vanilla slow. Stop when peaks just hold tips—overwhip = grainy. Gelatin optional in dairy cream for hold but skip for vegan. Texture different but tropical, lighter feel.
Crumble too soft after baking, fix?
Bake longer but watch color and smell, golden edges key. Overmixed crumble loses crisp. Use cold butter softened, not melted—too soft means dough absorbs moisture. Cool fully on rack. Store dry in airtight after bake if prepping ahead.
How to store assembled trifle?
Refrigerate covered tight, minimum 5 hours chill needed before serving. Best eaten within 48 hours—bananas brown, cream can leak water if longer. Store leftovers in glass container or bowl with lid. No freezer—texture wiped. If banana browned early, toss top layer and refresh with cream.
