Berry-Cranberry Layered Fruit Salad & Whipped Topping

Berry-Cranberry Layered Fruit Salad & Whipped Topping

Neva Brackett-Recipes from 7 Secrets Cookbook

1 1/2 cups water

2 teaspoons agar powder

12-ounce can frozen white grape juice concentrate

1 1/2 cups frozen mixed berries such as raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, etc., crushed (measure berries when frozen)

1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (or increase mixed berries to 2 cups)

1/2 cup crushed pineapple with juice

1 apple, finely chopped

2 tablespoons honey or sugar if needed, depending on tartness of berries.

2 cups Whipped Topping (see below).

 

Directions:

  1.  Place water in a small saucepan and stir in agar powder.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
  2. Combine remaining ingredients (except Whipped Topping), including boiled agar mixture.  Chill 2-4 hours.
  3. In six dessert goblets, alternate layers of fruit mixture with Whipped Topping.  For large trifle bowl, double the recipe.  Chill and serve.

Tip:  Instead of layering in a trifle bowl or goblets, use a flat glass casserole dish and top with a layer of Whipped topping.

 

Some prefer agar because it is not an animal product.  But if you don’t have agar, use regular gelatin or

1 1/2 tablespoons of Knox Unflavored Gelatin and simply bring to a boil in step 1.

 

Whipped Topping

1 cup water

1 rounded tablespoon agar flakes (or 2 rounded teaspoons powder)

Note:  “Rounded” (not level) is the key.  This extra agar makes the topping stiffer and nicer to use on desserts, and especially as icing on cakes.

½ cup raw cashew nuts

1/3 cup honey or ½ cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

½  teaspoon coconut extract

1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (optional, but especially nice in icing)

1 can coconut milk (or 2 cups soy milk)

 

Directions:

  1.  Stir together the agar and water and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
  2. Place remaining ingredients in blender along with hot agar mixture.  Blend on high until smooth, adding water as needed to make 3 1/2 cups total mixture.  Pour into a quart container and chill in refrigerator several hours or overnight.  For quicker chilling use a large, shallow container.
  3. Before using, place chilled mixture (which will be quite firm—almost sliceable) in blender or food processor, and blend until creamy.  If you have a lightweight blender, you should blend just half of the mixture at a time.  It should be the consistency of Cool Whip, and spreads on a cake very nicely.  Try not to add more liquid.  The  mixture will eventually go through the blades and become creamy if you carefully push it toward the blades with a rubber spatula.

Tip:  The agar is a key ingredient in this recipe.  The mixture has to be re-blended only once.  Then it can be frozen and used without re-blending, but remains a nice creamy texture.  Make a double recipe and freeze it for later use.

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