Raspberry Trifle

Fourth of July is a great time to make this fabulous dessert to share with friends a family. The beautiful presentation alone will have your guest raving. This is a simple and fairly easy desert to make. It is better made one day ahead to allow the cookies to soften. I made this on Father’s day and had such a great response from our guests that I just had to share the recipe with you. Believe me when I say this is a must do recipe! I hope you and your family and friends have a wonderful and safe holiday weekend.
Bon Appetit,
Cecelia

Ingredients:
2 (3.4 ounce) *Jell-O Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix
4 cups whole milk
1 (11 ounce) box vanilla wafer cookies
1 (24 ounce) container of Cool Whip
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
2 packages frozen raspberries
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 package black cherry Jell-O
1 orange, juiced and zest grated

Directions: In small pot add one cup of water and 1 cup of sugar bring to a slow boil add 2 packages frozen raspberries and cook for 15 minutes or until raspberries have completely broken down into a sauce. Remove from heat and add 1 package black cherry Jell-O mix, juice one one orange and zest of orange. Mix until Jell-O is dissolved about 1 – 2 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool. Meantime mix vanilla pudding as directed on box adding one teaspoon of vanilla bean paste. Chill pudding in refrigerator until ready to layer. In a food processor chop cookies until finely chopped about 2 minutes, pulsing on and off. In trifle dish layer the cookies, pudding and cool whip then cookies. Add raspberry compote then one layer of cookies, pudding and cool whip. Repeat layers. This looks best in a trifle dish. Then line top of trifle with raspberries and blueberries. I used a large cookie cutter as pattern for star. Line blueberries around the cookie cutter to make outline of star. Fill the center star with raspberries and the rest with blueberries. Best if made one day ahead to allow cookies to soften. This recipe can be divided in half if making it for a smaller group – it can be put into individual cups. Enjoy!