Blueberry Dessert is a no-bake, refreshing layered treat. With its layers of gelatin, fruit, and a creamy topping, this chilled dessert is perfect for enjoying throughout the year, not just summer.
Year-Round Delight: The Appeal of Chilled Fruit Desserts
I often search for a refreshing, chilled fruit dessert to serve during sweltering summer days. However, I’ve come to realize that as much as people enjoy these treats during the summer, they also love them year-round. This may be due to the consistent availability of fresh and frozen fruit throughout the seasons. Also, many associate chilled fruit desserts with lighter confections, which allows them to indulge without feeling guilty.
Salad or Dessert?
Most people agree that gelatin dishes with fruit are, in fact, desserts, not salads. However, when I browse community cookbooks, I find that many dishes containing fruit and gelatin are listed under the salads category. I’m not sure why this trend started, but it’s easier to find these kinds of desserts in cookbooks if you know to look for them under the “salad” section instead of the “dessert” section.
Ingredients in Blueberry Dessert
Gelation Layer
This dessert is interesting because it uses grape gelatin as the base for blueberry pie filling and crushed pineapple. These three distinct flavors complement each other well in this dessert. If you don’t like pineapple, substitute a can of drained blueberries canned in juice or light syrup. This will give the dessert both blueberry pie filling and canned blueberries for those who can’t get enough blueberry flavor!
Let the Gelatin Partially Set Before Adding Fruit
To help suspend the fruit ingredients evenly throughout the gelatin, it is helpful to chill the gelatin until it begins to thicken. Then mix in the other ingredients before it is fully set. This technique prevents the fruit from sinking to the bottom, ensuring a generous amount of fruit in every bite.
Topping Layer
The topping consists of a blend of cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar, vanilla, and optional chopped pecans. For ease of mixing, use room temperature cream cheese so you can combine the ingredients by hand. For stiffer cream cheese that is cold, cut it into cubes, place them on a plate (separated so they do not touch), and heat them on reduced power in the microwave until soft. Alternatively, use a mixer to beat the cream cheese until smooth.
Options for Blueberry Dessert
Add Chopped Nuts
Sprinkle chopped pecans (or your favorite nut) as the top layer on the finished no-bake blueberry dessert. Enhance the flavor of the nuts by toasting them in a skillet over medium heat. Stir often and let them cool before adding them to the dessert.
Add a Crust to Blueberry Dessert
You can also add a crust to this no-bake blueberry dessert if you prefer an extra crunch. Crush enough shortbread cookies or vanilla wafers to cover the bottom of the serving dish. Add melted butter to bind the cookie crumbs together. Then, press the mixture into the bottom of the dish until smooth. Freeze the crust for 10-15 minutes to set it.
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No-Bake Blueberry Dessert
Equipment
- 1 9 1/2 x 13-inch casserole dish or pan
Ingredients
Gelatin Layer
- 6 ounces grape gelatin
- 2 cups water, boiling
- (1) 20-ounce can crushed pineapple
- (1) 21-ounce can blueberry pie filling
Topping
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- â…“ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- â…“ cup chopped pecans (optional)
Instructions
Gelatin Layer
- Dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water. Set aside to cool for about 15 minutes. Then, place it in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes to let it cool to the consistency of egg whites. (A thicker consistency helps keep all the fruit from sinking to the bottom of the gelatin.)
- Add the pineapple and pie filling to the gelatin, stirring until well combined. Then, place the gelatin mixture into a 9 1/2 x 13-inch dish or pie pan. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours or until set.
Topping
- In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, vanilla, sugar, and sour cream until smooth. Spread the mixture evenly over the congealed gelatin.
- Chill for 1-2 hours. If using pecans, sprinkle them on top of the dessert just before serving.