Most references to traditional American Jell-O salad may have you believing it’s a dinosaur, as soon as standard and now extinct. A monstrous mishmash of seemingly disjointed components starting from crushed pineapple to mini marshmallows to chopped pecans to canned mandarin oranges to cottage cheese, all spackled in Cool Whip. However Jell-O salad is alive and nicely—thriving even. And sure, it may be scrumptious. Followers are nonetheless out right here, sharing grandma’s classic “fluff salad” recipe at potlucks and get-togethers. And typically even at work, which is how this raspberry Jell-O salad recipe first made the rounds within the BA check kitchen. Because it handed from editor to editor, the dish was declared “yummy,” “elegant,” and “shockingly good.” Such is the ability of jiggly gelatin.
The recipe relies on one from former senior commerce editor MacKenzie Chung Fegan, who inherited the retro household favourite by marriage. At first doubtful, she quickly grew to like the gelatin salad that confirmed up yr after yr on her in-laws’ vacation desk. Filled with sweet-tart raspberries, a thick layer of whipped cream cheese, and a buttery graham cracker crisp, it’s destined to transform doubters. And the kicker? It’s comparatively fast and simple to make.
Dropping entire, still-frozen raspberries into the recent gelatin cools the liquid quickly and defrosts the berries. (The fruit will keep remarkably nicely preserved for as much as 2 days.) In the event you’re not a fan of raspberry, be happy to make use of one other flavored gelatin and fruit mixture. Go for frozen strawberries suspended in strawberry Jell-O, or combine and match with wild blueberries and cranberry Jell-O or frozen cherries and orange Jell-O.
To keep away from a lumpy whipped topping, the cream cheese should be at room temperature. Too chilly and it gained’t be easy; too sizzling and the cream gained’t whip. To chop down on prep time, microwave the unwrapped block in 10-second bursts simply till softened.
Revelers could by no means agree on whether or not this wobbly marvel is a facet dish, fruit salad, or full-blown dessert, however one factor’s for certain: When you add it to your annual vacation meal, there’s no going again.
In search of extra Jell-O salad variations? This strawberry Jell-O salad from Epicurious is mainly a no-bake cheesecake with a pretzel crust and contemporary strawberries, whereas this elegant riff on ambrosia salad will get a dose of cream sherry.
