Ambrosia Parfait

Today I have a no-cook, no-bake dessert that is quick and easy to make. It is called Ambrosia Salad aka fruit salad. Ambrosia literally means 'food of the gods'  in Greek & Roman mythology. But this dish is very much American and from what I've read it is a very popular dessert/ salad that is served around holidays in the Southern states.

It is quite a simple dish to make -- lightly sweetened whipped cream is mixed with fresh fruit and grated coconut. Even though it sounds so easy, the resulting dish is light and absolutely delicious, hence the name - Ambrosia.

I've never tasted Ambrosia salad before even though I've seen in many times in holiday buffets because it contains marshmallows. But I watched Alton Brown make it the other day on Good Eats and I realized that I can make without the marshmallows.

It tasted absolutely amazing, even my picky husband liked it a lot. It takes just a few minutes to put everything together and since it needs to be served chilled, it is great as a make ahead dessert. I chose to layer it in individual glasses, but toss everything in a big bowl for a even quicker dish. If you are still thinking of what dessert to make for the coming holidays, add this to your buffet or even better take it to a potluck -- you will a star at the party :-) :-)

Recipe adapted from here:

Ambrosia Parfait

Ingredients:

• ½cup Heavy Cream
• ⅓cup Sour Cream
• 1tbsp Sugar
• ½cup Fresh Pineapple, finely chopped
• ½cup Red seedless grapes, halved
• 2 Oranges or Clementines, peeled and segmented
• 2tbsp Fresh Grated Coconut
• 3tbap Pecans or Almonds, toasted

Cooking Directions:

1. Whip cream in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer along with sugar until stiff peaks form. Stir in the sour cream and whisk until combined.
2. Combined the chopped fruits in a small bowl.
3. To Assemble: Spoon the mixed fruit in the bottom of the serving glasses/ bowls, top with the whipped cream mixture and grated coconut. Repeat the layers until the top. Chill for at least 2 hours and serve cold.

Linking this to Valli's 'Cooking from Cookbook Challenge: December -- Week 2'.