Raspberry Custard Squares

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

Crust

• 2 cups crushed vanilla wafer crumbs
• 1/2 cup toasted chopped almonds or walnuts
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted

Custard Layer

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 cups milk
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 envelopes unflavored gelatine
• 1/3 cup cold water

Raspberry Layer

• 2 (11 ounce) packages frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cup whipping cream

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Crust

1. In a bowl, combine crumbs, almonds and sugar; mix in butter. Pat into an 8-inch square glass baking dish.
2. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
3. Let cool on rack.

Custard Layer

1. Meanwhile, in a heavy saucepan, stir sugar with cornstarch; whisk in milk and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 5 to 10 minutes or until slightly thickened and smooth.
2. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks; stir in half of the hot milk mixture.
3. Return egg yolk mixture to pan; cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes or until thickened.
4. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract.
5. Stir gelatine into cold water; let stand for 1 minute, then stir half of the mixture into custard.
6. Cover and set remaining gelatine mixture aside for raspberry layer.
7. Lay plastic wrap directly on surface of custard; let cool.
8. Pour over crust and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.

Raspberry Layer

1. Press raspberries through food mill or fine sieve to mash, remove seeds and make about 1 cup.
2. Transfer to a small saucepan; add sugar and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring to dissolve sugar.
3. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice and reserved gelatine mixture until gelatine is dissolved.
4. Chill until the consistency of raw egg whites.
5. Whip cream; fold into raspberry mixture. Spread over custard; cover and refrigerate until set, about 4 hours. (Dessert can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
6. Cut into squares to serve.