RASPBERRY CUSTARD SQUARES

Raspberry Custard Squares

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 gelatin
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

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

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

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.

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. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract.

Stir gelatin into cold water; let stand for 1 minute, then stir half of the mixture into custard. Cover and set remaining gelatin mixture aside for raspberry layer. Lay plastic wrap directly on surface of custard; let cool. Pour over crust and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.

Raspberry Layer: Press raspberries through food mill or fine sieve to mash, remove seeds and make about 1 cup. Transfer to small saucepan; add sugar and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice and reserved gelatin mixture until gelatin is dissolved. Chill until consistency of raw egg whites.

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.) Cut into squares to serve.

Makes 8 servings.