Looking for a refreshing and beautiful summer treat? You found it here! The strawberry gelatin and the mascarpone cream elements of this dessert take 15 minutes each to prepare. While you sleep (overnight), this Strawberry Mascarpone Terrine will chill all by itself! The next day, just slice and serve – easy enough, right?

Prep time: 15 minutes each (strawberry gelatin and mascarpone cream)
Inactive prep time: 5 hours to overnight (for gelatin and mascarpone cream to set)
Serves: 10 to 12

Ingredients for Strawberry Gelatin:
One loaf pan (1.5-quart)
vegetable oil, for greasing loaf pan
1 envelope plus 2 teaspoons Knox gelatin (unflavored)
3 tablespoons water (room temperature)
One pound (16 ounces) fresh strawberries
3 tablespoons water (for boiling the strawberries)
3  tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 to 4 fresh mint leaf sprigs (for garnish)

Directions for Strawberry Gelatin:
1. Lightly oil the loaf pan and set aside.

2. In a small bowl or cup, mix together the Knox gelatin with water; set aside.

3. Wash & immediately pat dry all the strawberries – set 8 strawberries aside for later use.

4. Hull the remaining strawberries; discard green stems.

5. Cut up the hulled strawberries into 1/2-inch pieces; place them in a 4-quart saucepot.

6. Add water and lemon juice to the strawberries in saucepot.

7. Bring the strawberry mixture to a boil; with a potato masher, smash the strawberries as they cook and soften.

8. After 5 minutes of cooking, stir the sugar and the set gelatin into the hot strawberry mixture.

9. Mash the strawberry mixture well so that all ingredients are blended and gelatin dissolves.

10. Transfer the hot strawberry gelatin mixture into prepared loaf pan.

11. Set the loaf pan with strawberry gelatin mixture in refrigerator to set – about 2 hours or overnight.

When strawberry gelatin has set and is firm, prepare the following Mascarpone cream-

Ingredients for Mascarpone Cream:
One envelope plus 1 teaspoon Knox gelatin (unflavored)
3 tablespoons water (room temperature)
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
8 ounces Mascarpone cheese (this is Italian cream cheese)
3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (whole milk or 2% milk fat)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pistachio nuts

Directions for Mascarpone Cream:
1. In a small bowl or cup, mix together the Knox gelatin and the water until dissolved; set aside.

2. In a stand mixer bowl or in a 1-quart mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat together the Mascarpone cheese, yogurt, sugar and lemon juice. Set aside.

3. In a small saucepot set on low heat, dissolve the set gelatin with 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream for 30 seconds to 1 minute. DO NOT LET MIXTURE SCORCH!

4. Gently stir the gelatin-cream mixture into the Mascarpone cream mixture.

5. Divide the Mascarpone cream mixture in half.

6. Add the pistachios to one-half of the Mascarpone cream mixture; set aside.

7. Take 4 of the reserved strawberries and hull them; discard green stems.

8. Chop the hulled strawberries into 1/2-inch pieces.

9. Add the chopped strawberries to the remaining half of the Mascarpone cream mixture; set aside.

10. Gently spoon the Mascarpone cream with pistachios over the set strawberry gelatin in loaf pan.

11. Next, spoon the Mascarpone cream with strawberries over the pistachio Mascarpone cream.

12. Refrigerate the Strawberry-Mascarpone Terrine for at least 3 hours or overnight.

13. At serving time, garnish the dessert with remaining strawberries, mint leaf springs; dust with powdered sugar. Slice and serve.
Text & Photograph ©2018 Nancy DeLucia Real