There are few things in life that taste like "summer" to me more than raspberry dessert. It's not much of a name, really, but it's what has stuck in my family for decades. And as far as I can tell, this dessert pretty much only exists within my family. It's more famous cousin, the raspberry jello pretzel salad, is chunkier and has that salty-sweet, cream cheesy thing going on. But this fresh, bright, summery concoction is just sweet, soft Nilla wafer crumbs on the bottom, a creamy drizzle on top of that, followed by fresh, whole raspberries in jello, sweetened whipped cream, and a few more Nilla wafer crumbs and raspberries on top for garnish.
Paul didn't ask me to marry him because of this dessert, but only because we started dating at the end of summer and were already married before raspberry dessert season came around. It's what he has requested almost every year in place of birthday cake, which is saying a lot for someone like Paul who would typically go for a chocolate cake any day of the week. Unless raspberry dessert is in play. Then it's a fight to the finish to see who gets the last bite.
Word to the wise though: don't use birthday candles with this. We learned from experience that the Nilla wafer crumbs on top go flying everywhere when the candles are blown out.
RASPBERRY DESSERT
Makes 1 square 8"x8" pan but we usually double it if it is for more than just the two of us
INGREDIENTS
1 package Nilla Wafers, finely crushed
1 small box raspberry Jello (don't mess around with sugar free)
1 egg
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2-3 cups fresh raspberries, washed and dried
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
2-3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
DIRECTIONS
Prepare Jello according to package directions, then place in the refrigerator to cool until it is thick and syrupy but not yet firmly set.
Place Nilla wafers in a gallon size Ziploc bag and crush to a fine powder using a rolling pin or pulse in a food processor. Use about half of the Nilla wafer crumbs to cover the bottom of a square 8"x8"inch baking dish. Set remaining crumbs aside for the top of the dessert. Press down so it is compact, but don’t worry that there is no butter or anything to hold a crust together it really is just Nilla wafer crumbs on the bottom of this dessert.
In a medium bowl, add butter, egg*, and powdered sugar and whisk until light, about a minute or two, to make a smooth and creamy sort of sauce that can be drizzled over the Nilla wafer crumbs.
The sauce doesn’t have to completely cover the crumbs on the bottom of the dish so don’t try spreading it around or anything because that will just create a mess. Just drizzle it on to get mostly even coverage. Next, sprinkle 2 cups of fresh raspberries over the sauce and crumb layers, making sure they are evenly distributed. Once the Jello has thickened to a syrupy consistency but hasn’t entirely set, pour over raspberries, then return dish to the refrigerator and allow Jello to set completely: at least another hour or two. When Jello has completely set, whip cream with powdered sugar and vanilla in a bowl, then gently spread on top of Jello and raspberries. Sprinkle remaining Nilla wafer crumbs on top (you may not need all of them if you feel like this layer is getting too thick), then use the remaining raspberries to arrange a pattern on top of the dessert and serve.
* Yes, this dessert has a raw egg in it and lots of people freak out about raw eggs, but I’ve eaten this every summer since I was a little girl and never had a problem. You can buy pasturized eggs if you are concerned because the USDA says those are safe to consume raw.
