No-Bake Pizzelle Strawberry Layer Cake

I bought a near-new pizzelle maker at Goodwill a few weeks ago.  I've been searching the web, looking for healthy(er) pizzelle recipes and kept seeing how pizzelles are often one of the cookies served at an Italian Easter celebration, so I thought it would be fun to make a batch for the upcoming Easter holiday.  I found this basic recipe and tweaked it a bit.  I replaced half the flour with whole wheat pastry flour, used only egg whites, replaced the anise extract with vanilla extract and used avocado oil instead of the butter.  The pizzelles turned out OK, but were not great.

Since I had so many cookies, I started looking for different ways to use them, and came across this site that gave a recipe for a pizzelle pie.  Hmmm... Sounded interesting, so I tinkered with it a smidgen and made my own adapted version.  We really liked it, so much so, that I'll be making another No-Bake Pizzelle Strawberry Layer Cake for our Easter dinner.   I see endless possibilities with this no-bake dessert.  Guess I'll need to perfect that healthier pizzelle recipe, not for the cookie's sake...but for the cake's.  :)

No-Bake Pizzelle Strawberry Layer Cake
serves 2-4

Ingredients

• 5 to 7 pizzelle cookies ~ or as many as you want, to get it as high as you want (homemade or store bought, anise or vanilla flavored ~ as you like)
• 1 small box of vanilla instant pudding mix, prepared according to box directions (or flavor of choice ~ regular or sugar-free)
• strawberry jam or jam flavor of choice (I used homemade ~ see my post on my homegrown/homemade strawberry jam from last year)
• powdered sugar for dusting or whipped cream for topping (optional)  

Directions

Spread about 2 teaspoons of jam on the top of each pizzelle, all the way to the edge. Place first jam covered cookie in a suitable container*, then spoon over about 1 1/2 - 2 Tablespoons of vanilla pudding, on top of the jam, smoothing all the way to the edge.  Place next jam covered cookie on top of the now pudding covered cookie and continue layering this way until you are all done, ending with a pudding covered cookie on the top.  Cover the now completed 'layer cake' and let it sit in the fridge overnight.  It will begin to absorb the moisture from the jam/pudding and turn into a pretty and delicate looking layer cake.  Cut into wedges and serve with a dusting of powdered sugar or top with whipped cream, if desired.

*if you want to be able to remove the layer cake easily for presentation, place a strip of plastic wrap in the bottom of the container, with the edges hanging over the edge of the container and use that to lift the whole layer cake out when ready to serve the next day.

I think this would be good with a tiramisu spin, or maybe with marmalade and some type of liqueur ~ the possibilities are endless.  I really like the idea of making it the night before and just pulling it out of the fridge when you need it.  A no-fuss, no-stress dessert, I like that!    

Happy Easter ~  From our family to yours!