Simple summer dessert

For the longest time I could not make this desert ‘properly’, not because of its complicated recipe, or ingredient list, but simply because I did not have the right vessel for it.  Custard glass cups from the supermarket just would not do it.  My lucky break came earlier this summer at a small yard sale north of the city.  I instantly scooped up a set of four. They remind me of much larger ones we had always used for desserts in my family. They still sit on the upper shelves in my parents’ pantry in my hometown in Poland.  They don’t make appearance all that often now, everyone seems to gravitate to either ice cream or cake these days at the family gathering.  But my heart is firmly with this simple jello dessert of my childhood.

The key is to use the ripest fruit that gets submerged and set in jello – raspberries and wild strawberries work particularly well. Once set for a couple of hours in refrigerator, out comes the topping. This should be done just before serving. No real rules here. I tend to add a dollop or two of homemade whip cream, shaved bitter chocolate, sometimes chopped hazelnuts, and always more fruit. Childhood treat that pleases children and adults alike!