Eclair Refrigerator Dessert for a Crowd

 Now this is a real old timer.  This recipe was given to me over 30 years ago by an old Quebec woman.  If you love chocolate eclairs but are intimidated by making them, try this recipe.  I am mostly concerned about giving the homeless guys good hearty healthy food but I also like to slip a dessert in every now and then.  Because of all the cooking, I don't have time to make desserts that are very involved.  So, I have resorted to some of these old time recipes which feed a lot of people and are still very good.  On the plus side, I don't think I could put together a whole set of teeth between all the guys at the shelter so anything with pudding is a good thing!

 You can frost this with either the chocolate as shown above or you can make a confectioners sugar glaze like this.

 After this spends 24 hours in the fridge, you have as close to a homemade eclair as possible.


Place a layer of graham crackers in the bottom of your pan.  I am not a big fan of graham crackers but you really can not taste the graham flavor in the end product.
 Make a package of vanilla instant pudding.  Add it to the bowl of your mixer and add 1 block of philly cream cheese and 1 can of sweetened condensed milk.  Beat it all together and add 1 container of whipped cream.  Mix to blend and pour half of it over the graham crackers. Place another layer of graham crackers over the filling, pour the rest of it over the crackers and add a final layer of crackers.


Top with the icing of your choice and refrigerate for 1 day.  I made a large tray of this so i doubled the recipe.

Comments

This looks amazing! My hubby and I were just talking about how much we like eclairs! I bet your guys would like tapioca pudding too! That's another family favorite!

Have a great day!
Nellie said…
This is always a hit at covered dish dinners! Made in a smaller quantity, of course.:-)
Creepy Glowbugg said…
My Grandma has been making this for years! Now I make it every year at Xmas for the family gatherings. Such a hit and so easy to make. My recipe doesn't call for the cream cheese or the sweetened milk, but I am sure going to make it that way this year! I love your spirit and your recipes!!
brokenteepee said…
Those old recipes were good - full of calories, but good!
Anonymous said…
sounds yummy! I have never had this, not even thirty years ago, living on the farm and 40 miles from the grocery store I rarely had cream cheese or eagle brand milk, but I do now!!!!! I'm trying this one for sure!Only not as bog a portion as you made!!
Anonymous said…
I have never even heard of this before! But it sounds as if it is something I would love :-)

Have a great day!
Christer.
Barb said…
Your desert is absolutely going to make their Valentine's Day!
Could this be the Holy Grail of recipes that I've been searching for, lo these many decades? When I was a kid 45-50 years ago, my grandma in Manitoba used to make the most delicious "refrigerator cake," as she called it. It was reminiscent of a Nanaimo Bar but was NOT a Nanaimo Bar. It did have condensed milk in it and chocolate on top, as I recall. I've always hoped to find a recipe for it in some old Canadian cookbook or another but never found one -- and now I suspect your old Quebec woman may have come through for me! I must make a pan of this and see if the taste matches my memories. Thank you so much for posting this, you've made my day!
WOW! Wow! Wow! They must have thought they died and went to heaven. :-))))))))

Happy Valentine's Day,
"Auntie"
Guillaume said…
After your blueberry cake, this is my second gastronomical purpose!
Michelle said…
I make this frequently and it is always a hit.
Gemmi Fuchsbau said…
I am all about the simple and delicious! this is a must do for me now!
Perfect dessert for a crowd. I don't mind graham crackers when they are in a pie crust or a dessert like this.
Good Lord! They must think they have died and gone to shelter heaven, when they see you coming!
:):)
YOU are just the BEST Joyce!!
Joy said…
Good job on such a large dessert! These are the types of recipes that are much easier to do for a crowd.