Ambrosia Squares

Submitted by Scruffers

"Very nice dessert thats not too sweet nor too rich...so the serving size suggested can be increased!!! nice crust and the oranges give it a little bit of tanginess."

 

• Ready In: 47mins
• Ingredients: 9
• Serves: 12

ingredients

• 1 9-inch graham cracker crust
• 1⁄2 cup chopped nuts
• 1 (250 g) package cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups milk
• 1 (6 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding
• 1 (10 ounce) can mandarin orange segments, drained
• 2 medium bananas, sliced
• 1 envelope prepared dream whip dessert topping
• 2 cups coconut, toasted (I find 1 cup enough)

directions

1. Prepare graham crumb crust recipe, adding nuts to mixture.
2. Press firmly into 13 x 9" pan.
3. Chill.
4. Beat cream cheese until soft.
5. Gradually add 1/2 c of the milk, beat until smooth.
6. In seperate bowl, prepare pudding mix as directed on pkg using the remaining 2 1/2 cups milk.
7. Add prepared pudding to cream cheese mixture in three additions, beating on low speed.
8. Fold in oranges.
9. Layer bananas on crust.
10. Spoon pudding mixture over bananas, spread prepared dessert topping evenly over pudding mixture.
11. Sprinkle with toasted coconut.
12. Chill 4 hours.
13. Cut into squares.
14. (for toasted coconut, I usually just put under broiler for a minute or 2 and stir a couple of times, others may choose to'bake' it first).

Reviews

[Dorel]

I made a few changes when I made this. I find I like more bottom crust so I make more of the graham cracker crust, about 1-1/2 crust ingredients. I can only find 4 serving size puddings in Jello brand (106g) so I make up 2 pkgs, I only use about 3-1/2 cups milk for both packages, as I like the pudding more solid. I don't use all the pudding, I keep about a cup out and eat like that. I use 2 cans of mandarin orange segments and no bananas. I don't fold in the oranges, I line them up on top of the pudding. I buy Cool Whip and use that instead of mixing up the powder stuff. I only use about 1 cup toasted coconut. We love this dessert made this way.