Blackberry Custard Squares

A solid tasting blackberry based recipe, no regrets when you spend your time making it and tasting it ! Enjoy ! Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients

CRUST:

• 2 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
• 1/2 cup Toasted chopped almonds or walnuts
• 1 tbl granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted

CUSTARD LAYER:

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbl cornstarch
• 2 cup milk
• 3 x egg yolks
• 3 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 env unflavoured gelatin
• 1/3 cup Cold water

Blackberry LAYER:

• 3 cup Raspberries
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbl lemon juice
• 1 cup whipping cream

Directions

1. Serve this dessert with whole fresh blackberries in the summer or, in winter, puree frozen blackberries to serve as a sauce.
2. Crust: In bowl, combine crumbs, almonds and Sugar; mix in butter.
3. Pat into 8-inch (2 L) square glass baking dish.
4. Bake in 350 F (180 C) oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until fragrant and lightly browned. Let cool on rack.
5. Custard Layer: Meanwhile, in 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.
6. In bowl, whisk egg yolks; stir in half of the hot milk mixture.
7. Return egg yolk mixture to pan; cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes or until thickened.
8. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
9. Stir gelatin into cold water; let stand for 1 minute, then stir half of the mixture into custard.
10. Cover and set remaining gelatin mixture aside for blackberry layer.
11. Lay plastic wrap directly on surface of custard; let cool.
12. Pour over crust and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.
13. Blackberry Layer: Press blackberries through food mill or fine sieve to mask, remove seeds and make about 1 cup (250 mL).
14. Transfer to small saucepan; add Sugar and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring to dissolve Sugar.
15. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice and reserved gelatin mixture until gelatin is dissolved.
16. Chill until consistency of raw egg whites.
17. Whip cream; fold in blackberry mixture.
18. Spread over custard; cover and refrigerate until set, about 4 hours.
19. (Dessert can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
20. Cut into squares to serve with forks.
21. To toast almonds, spread on baking sheet and bake in 350 F (180 C) oven for 5 to 7 minutes or until golden.