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Fourth of July Creamy Dessert Salad Parfaits

Whipped Jell-O in blue and red, along with fresh fruit make a festive dessert salad parfait. Choose any flavor of Jell-O to match whatever occasion you are celebrating. Please note: This is a definite labor of love, but worth it in the end.
Servings: 12 (9-10 ounce parfaits)
Author: Terri @ that's some good cookin'

Ingredients

For gelatin parfaits:

  • 7 cups water, divided
  • 1 large (6 ounce) package blue geletin
  • 1 large (6 ounce) package raspberry or strawberry gelatin
  • 1 10-ounce bag small marshmallows, divided
  • 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, divided and softened to room temperature
  • 1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained and divided
  • 1 1/2 pints 3 cups whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 pint fresh blueberries
  • 1 pint fresh raspberries

For Garnish:

  • 1 8-ounce package Kraft 'Stackermallows' (flat, rectangular marshmallows)
  • 24 fresh blueberries
  • 12 fresh raspberries
  • red sanding sugar
  • small star-shaped cookie cutter
  • 12 small 6-inch wooden skewers

Instructions

For the parfaits:

  • Note: The water, marshmallows, cream cheese, crushed pineapple, and whipping cream will be divided between the two types of Jell-O.
  • Divide the cream cheese in half (two 4-ounce portions). Cut each half into smaller pieces. This will make it easier to blend into the gelatin. Set aside.
  • Pour 1 3/4 cup water in each of two saucepans (one pan for the blue Jell-O and one for the red Jell-O. Each pot gets 1 3/4 cup water.). Bring water to a boil.
  • Lower heat to low. Stir the blue Jell-O powder into one pot of water and stir until dissolved. Repeat with the red Jell-O in the other pot of water.
  • Add half of the cream cheese to the blue gelatin; stir to incorporate cream cheese. If necessary, press the cream cheese against the side of the pot to help break it up. There will probably be some small slivers of cream cheese that will not completely blend with the gelatin. This is not a problem. Repeat with the red gelatin.
  • Add 1/2 of the bag of marshmallows to the red gelatin and the other half of the bag to the blue gelatin. Stir until dissolved.
  • Add another 1 3/4 cup COLD water to each pot of gelatin mixture. Stir.
  • Pour the gelatin mixtures into two separate bowls, cover and refrigerate until set.
  • When set, remove from fridge. With a hand mixer, beat each bowl of gelatin until well aerated and fluffy. Set aside.
  • Fold half of drained, crushed pineapple into each bowl gelatin mixture.
  • Clean beaters. Add the whipping cream and sugar to a clean bowl. Whip until soft peaks form.
  • Add one cup of whipped cream to each of the bowls of gelatin and fold it into the gelatin. Set the remaining whipped cream aside for topping.
  • In parfait glasses or 9-10 ounce clear plastic cups layer in order listed: blue gelatin, raspberries and blueberries, red gelatin, and whipped cream. I used three raspberries and put them touching the outside of the glass so that they could be well seen, then sprinkled blueberries to fill in the spaces.
  • Garnish as desired.

Directions for Fruit and Star Marshmallow Skewer:

  • Select a star cookie cutter that will fit the size of the rectangular marshmallows. The size of the marshmallow can be slightly increased by gently pressing on it. Don't press too hard because the marshmallow will begin to break down. Don't we all.
  • Working with one marshmallow at a time, use the cookie cutter to cut out a marshmallow star. Repeat with 11 more marshmallows for a total of 12 stars.
  • On each of the 12 skewers load the following in order listed: 1 blueberry, 1 raspberry, 1 blueberry, 1 star marshmallow.
  • With a small, flat paintbrush or with your finger, paint a thin coat of water onto both sides of the marshmallow star. Working over a dinner plate, sprinkle the dampened marshmallow on both sides with the red sanding sugar.
  • Garnish parfaits with prepared skewers.

Notes

This recipe has been modified from the original recipe in both amounts of ingredients and in method of preparation. The sizes/quantities of listed ingredients are consistent with the current standard market product sizes/quantities as of 6/25/2012. Product sizes change over time.