Fourth of July, Memorial Day, Veteran’s Day or any holiday for that matter my family is always asking to have this red, white and blue Jell-o dessert. The secret is in the middle layer which is made with half and half, gelatin, milk, sour cream, vanilla and sugar. This layer is also the one that can become gritty if you boil the milk, so make sure to turn off the heat on the milk before it begins to boil and then you will have the creamy, smooth layer that makes this dessert extra special.
Though the dish is going to take 4 to 6 hours to make, most of that time is spent waiting for one layer to set and another layer to cool down so it won’t melt the layer you are pouring it over. It’s a simple recipe and you’ll love all the praise you’ll get for serving it at your next pot luck or BBQ.
From our multiple attempts of making this dessert with many different combinations, our favorite is to use raspberry Jell-o and fresh raspberries and blueberries. You can use frozen berries as well which will also cut down the time needed to cool down the layers, but we prefer the flavor of the fresh berries so much that it’s worth the wait.
This Jell-o dessert is absolutely a make the day before dish so that it’s been chilled long enough so that it’s ready for the big day. And that is a plus since it gives you one dish less to worry about on the day of your big event.
Ingredients:
Red Layer:
- 1 3-ounce box raspberry Jell-O
- 1 cup hot water
- 12 oz fresh (or frozen) raspberries
White Layer:
- 1/2 pint (8 oz.) half and half
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 package unflavored gelatin
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 1/2 pint (8 oz.) sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Blue Layer
- 1 3-ounce box raspberry Jell-O
- 1 cup hot water
- 12 oz fresh (or frozen) blueberries
Full Video Tutorial
Preparation:
Red Layer:
- Dissolve 1 box of raspberry gelatin in 1 cup hot water.
- Stir in frozen or fresh raspberries.
- Chill in 13×9” or smaller casserole dish until set.
White Layer:
- Heat cream and sugar. DO NOT LET IT BOIL – the layer will become gritty if heated too high.
- Soak unflavored gelatin in 2 tablespoons of cold water. Add to hot mixture.
- Stir in sour cream and vanilla.
- Let cool to room temperature. Pour over firm red layer. And chill until set.
- Pat yourself on the back, the most difficult layer is complete
Blue Layer
- Dissolve 1 box of raspberry gelatin in 1 cup hot water.
- Stir in blueberries. Let cool to room temperature. Pour over firm white layer. And chill until set.
Kitchen Items used in this recipe
 |  |
| Meat Cleaver | SENZER Gravity Electric Salt and Pepper Grinder Set |
