Frosted Fruit Salad

Salad or Dessert?

If you're not from Utah, you might be confused by the name of this dish. I don't know when or how this happened, but things made with Jello and fruit are called "fruit salads" here, even though they are as sweet, or sweeter, than most desserts. They are served as side dishes, not as the finale to a meal, which explains why this recipe is found in the side dish category.  

When I saw this recipe in Grandma's box, I had a feeling it would be good. However, I had to wait for the right occasion to test it because it made enough to feed a crowd. But it had to be the right crowd. Many of our extended family members don't actually like fruit in their Jello. And this one had lots of it--a whole can of crushed pineapple and four bananas.  At last, the occasion came, and I put this recipe to the test. 

How to Make Frosted Fruit Salad

The first thing to do was to boil water and dissolve the lemon jello, but of course, I had to fiddle right out of the gate. I dumped the Jello in a bowl, then added 2 cups of boiling water, not four. 

I stirred until the Jello was dissolved, then added 2 more cups of ice water to speed the process along. 

While the ice cubes melted and the Jello cooled, I opened a 20-oz can (number 2) of crushed pineapple and drained it in a sieve, pressing it well to remove as much of the juice as possible because I needed it for the topping. 

I poured it into a 9 x 13-inch dish along with the cooled Jello. 

I then sliced four bananas into the jello and put it into the fridge to set. It was looking kind of cool--literally and figuratively. 

Several hours later, I combined the pineapple juice, sugar, and water, mixed with cornstarch.  Over medium heat, I cooked the mixture until it was thick and bubbly. 

After the sauce had cooled to room temperature, I added the marshmallows and the whipped cream. I did not add the optional nuts or grated cheese this time. 

I spread the "frosting" over the set Jello and returned it to the fridge to continue setting until our family dinner the next day. 

It looked good. How would it taste?

The Verdict

The answer to that question was a unanimous, "great!" The Jello was definitely heavy on the pineapple, so if pineapples (or cold bananas) aren't your thing, you might want to pass on this set salad. We liked them, and we also liked the marshmallows in the "frosting." They added a little something special and set this topping apart from a simple slathering of whipped cream.  Get the recipe for this winner below and take it to your next large-group gathering or church potluck.  

You'll get bonus points for bringing the prettiest dish.