One Dessert: Three Ways

I was asked to bring dessert for our family get-together Sunday for Father's Day.  I had lots of ideas but everyone likes something different.  I wanted to make my dad's favorite, coconut cream pie, but I also wanted to make something to make Mr. Steady feel special.  When I asked what dessert he would like, he responded with Boston Cream Pie.  I also remembered that The Reader had requested a piece of banana cream pie recently.  So I did what any woman who loves the men in her life would do - made something for each of them.

I pulled out my tiny jar collection - most are 4 oz but some are bigger.  Many of these jars came from my mom's stash, whom she inherited from her mom.  Apparently my grandpa would take puddings and desserts in his lunchbox in these.  

I baked a yellow cake from scratch, halving the recipe.  Then I used my handy cake-leveler and cut the cake in half.  I have cleared my kitchen tremendously of useless gadgets and tools but this is one single-use tool I keep and use quite often. 

Then I used a 2 1/2 inch circle cutter and made cake rounds.

Next I made a batch of vanilla pudding....or maybe I made a batch of pastry cream.  I have no idea what the difference is except some chef thought pastry cream sounded more sophisticated.

I separated the pudding into three bowls.  Into the first I added shredded sweetened coconut.  

Next I took 4 small jars, lined the inside with pie crust and blind baked them for about 7-8 minutes.  Then I filled the crust with the coconut cream pudding and chilled.

In the next 4 jars I layered crushed graham crackers, pudding, and bananas.

And in the last 4 jars I layered the yellow cake, vanilla pudding, and finished it off with chocolate ganache.

Just prior to serving I topped the coconut cream pie-lets {smile} with whipped cream and toasted coconut.

 That jar in the back is my favorite - I love the shape of it - and it was one of my grandma's.

This is how Mr. Steady began his special day.  He had requested a pitcher of lemonade all to himself (because the boys had made 2 pitchers of lemonade the week before and by the time Mr. Steady got home, it was all gone).  We rimmed his glass with sugar and stuck in a curly straw, tee hee!  I said all he needed was some sand and a palm tree.  So The Thinker brought in the radio and put on some Caribbean music, then he Googled a beach scene and set up the monitor in front of Mr. Steady.  That's about as "beachy" as our budget allows for this year!  

I am so thankful for my dad and my honey - they are both wonderful fathers!