Ingredients >
1 cup graham-cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup (2 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips, melted
4 bananas, sliced
1 recipe cold vanilla pudding (see recipe)
1 cup cold heavy cream, whipped to firm peaks with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar

Method >
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter a baking sheet. In a medium bowl, stir the graham-cracker crumbs and melted butter together. Press the crumb mixture onto the baking sheet in a circle that is approximately 8 inches in diameter. Bake for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Use a small spoon to drizzle the melted chocolate chips thickly over the baked crumbs on the baking sheet. Let the crunch sit until the chocolate is firm. (The chocolate holds the crunch together in large pieces so it does not crumble when it is transferred to the pudding.)

In the bottom of a 2-quart serving bowl, spread 1/2 of the banana slices. Spread about 1/2 of the pudding over the bananas and sprinkle about 1/3 of the graham crunch (breaking it up with a spatula as you transfer it) over the pudding. Repeat the layering once.

Spread the whipped cream over the crunch and sprinkle with the remaining crunch. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight and serve cold.

Yield: Serves 6

Per serving: 509 calories, 8 grams protein, 31 grams fat, 17 grams saturated fat, 51 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams fiber, 248 milligrams cholesterol, 144 milligrams sodium.