Make the most of spring berries with this easy dessert

Parfait glasses – or other see-through dessert dishes – make any dessert seem special. Here’s a pretty spring dessert that showcases spring berries in those fancy glasses – and has no eggs!

The stemmed glasses show off the layers of different colored berries contrasting with the rich cream “fool.” It’s more than whipped cream; the sour cream and flavoring give it a custard-like richness without eggs.

Cookie crumbs and chopped almonds add some crunchy texture. (It’s a great way to use up broken cookies.)

I used fresh strawberries and blackberries, but blueberries are great, too. This recipe also works with frozen berries.

Rose syrup has a delicate flavor that doesn’t overwhelm the strawberries. Its pink color also looks good under glass. Other fruit-flavored syrup (such as grenadine or strawberry) could be substituted.

No parfait glasses? No problem. Use clear drinking glasses to layer the dessert. Half-pint jars work, too.

(Did I mention this dessert is flexible?)

Berry-berry parfait

Makes 2 to 4 (depending on size of parfait glass)

Ingredients:

For berry layers:

½ cup strawberries, hulled and chopped

2 tablespoons rose syrup*

½ cup blackberries or blueberries

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

For cream layers and topping:

1 cup heavy whipping cream

¼ cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons sour cream

¼ teaspoon almond extract**

2 to 4 tablespoons cookie crumbs

1 tablespoon almonds, chopped

Instructions:

Prepare berries: In a small bowl, mix chopped strawberries with rose syrup. Set aside. In another bowl, mix together blackberries or blueberries with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar. Mash berries gently with the back of a spoon to get their juices running. Set aside.

Prepare cream: In a chilled bowl or a food processor, combine whipping cream with ¼ cup powdered sugar. Whip until firm. Add almond extract. Fold in sour cream. Chill until ready to assemble.

Prepare cookie crumbs: In a zippered plastic bag, place broken wafer cookies (such as Nilla wafers). Use a rolling pin over the bagged cookies to make the cookies crumble.

Assemble: In a tall parfait-style glass with a long spoon, layer the parfait. Put 2 spoonfuls of strawberry mixture at the bottom, spoon cream mixture on top of that. Sprinkle a layer of cookie crumbs. Spoon second berry mixture into glass. Top with more cookie crumbs. Top with more cream mixture. Sprinkle chopped almonds over top.

Repeat with each glass. Serve with a long spoon such as an iced tea spoon.

This dessert can be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated. Or prepare the berries, cream mixture and cookie crumbs ahead and assemble just before serving.

*Note: Other fruit-flavored syrup (such as strawberry syrup or blueberry syrup) or simple syrup may be substituted.

**Note: Vanilla extract may be substituted.