Catchy name, no? But… that really is what this is; a layer of walnut pastry, topped with a layer of cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar whipped together with some cool whip, then a layer of pistachio pudding; all topped with a layer of Cool Whip and (finally) a sprinkling of pistachios. My sister-in-law calls her version of this “green stuff” – mebbe I should just go with that.
Still and all, the nice folk at Kraft Canada, where I found this recipe, call it simply: Pistachio Layered Dessert.
I used American measures, the cream cheese and Cool Whip package amounts are slightly different; but no worries, it all worked out, and everyone who tried it was very happy the had.
INGREDIENTS
Bottom Layer:
•1/2 cup chopped walnuts
•1/2 cup butter, softened
•1 cup flour
•1 tsp sugar
Cream Cheese Layer:
•8 oz cream cheese, softened
•1 cup confectioners’ sugar
•2 cups cool whip
•Black pepper (trust me)
Pistachio Layer:
•2 (4 serving size) packages pistachio pudding mix
•2-1/2 cups milk
Top Layer:
•Cool Whip
•Chopped pistachios
Apply cooking spray to a 13×9 inch baking pan and heat your oven to 325º.
Stir the walnuts together with the sugar, flour, and butter until you have a thick dough.
Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared baking pan and pop into the oven for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely.
Once the crust has cooled, whip the cream cheese together with the confectioners’ sugar until well blended and a bit fluffy.
Stir in two cups of the Cool Whip from a tub and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.
Trust me, the pepper won’t over power the sugar and cream cheese and Cool Whip, but it will add a little sumpin’ sumpin’ and halp to bring out the other flavors. I add pepper to all of my buttercream frostings now.
Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the walnut crust.
Beat the pistachio pudding mixes together with the milk (I used the same mixing bowl and whisk I’d used for the cream cheese, the very little bit left in the bowl and the whisk blended in easily with the pudding, and saved me a bit of clean up.
I mean, this was Thanksgiving Week, after all, and I had just a few other things going on as well.
Let the pudding rest and thicken for five minutes or so before spreading evenly over the cream cheese layer, then top that with the remaining cool whip from the tub.
Sprinkle with chopped pistachios.
The nice folk at Kraft Canada had suggested topping the dessert with one tablespoon of chopped walnuts taken out of the 1.2 cup called for in the bottom layer, but I liked the idea of pistachios topping it all better, so went that way.
You do what you like.
Cover and pop into the fridge for at least four hours before serving.
The nice folk at Kraft Canada also said the it was easier to cut into squares to serve if you popped it in the freezer for and hour before serving.
I might try that the next time, and use a spring form pan to make the whole presentation a bit more posh.
However you decide to serve it, though, this is one fine green stuff layered dessert.