Blackberry Custard Squares

A dessert from Canada. Great comfort food!

• Ready In: 6 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• CRUST

• 2  cups  vanilla wafer crumbs
• 1⁄2 cup  toasted chopped  almonds or 1⁄2 cup 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
• 3 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1.5 (1/4ounce) envelopes unflavored gelatin
• 1⁄3 cup cold water

• blackberry LAYER

• 3  cups blackberries (or raspberries)
• 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar
• 1  tablespoon 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. Return egg yolk mixture to pan; cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes or until thickened.
7. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
8. Stir gelatin into cold water; let stand for 1 minute, then stir half of the mixture into custard.
9. Cover and set remaining gelatin mixture aside for blackberry layer. Lay plastic wrap directly on surface of custard; let cool.
10. Pour over crust and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.
11. blackberry Layer: Press blackberries through food mill or fine sieve to mask, remove seeds and make about 1 cup (250 mL).
12. Transfer to small saucepan; add Sugar and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring to dissolve Sugar.
13. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice and reserved gelatin mixture until gelatin is dissolved.
14. Chill until consistency of raw egg whites.
15. Whip cream; fold in blackberry mixture. Spread over custard; cover and refrigerate until set, about 4 hours.
16. (Dessert can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
17. Cut into squares to serve with forks.