Irish Berry Flummery

Spread oats on a dry baking sheet and toast at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes until they are toasted and fragrant. Set aside to cool.

Chop strawberries and put them into a bowl. Next add the other berries and the sugar. Stir to combine. Cover and chill in the fridge for an hour or 2. (This step can be skipped if necessary).

Mash berries with a potato masher or fork, still leaving some chunks.

Whip the cream, and before it gets to soft peaks, sprinkle in the instant Clear Jel and confectioner’s sugar. Continue whipping to soft peaks. Stir in the sour cream, vanilla, and 2/3 cup of the oats. Mix until combined.

Layer into parfait glasses, putting a spoon or two of the cream mixture, then berry mixture, and continue layering until done. (The size of glasses you use will determine how many layers). End with a dollop of the cream mixture. Sprinkle tops with the 1/3 cup remaining toasted oats. You can also top with a fresh berry.

*I used frozen Marionberries, blackberries, and raspberries, but fresh strawberries. It works quite well in this dish, and you can also use a different combination of berries, or use just strawberries alone. You can buy fresh berries in the summer and freeze them for use all winter. For great frozen berries just lay the washed berries on a cookie sheet in a single layer and place in freezer until hard, then throw into a ziplock or freezer container.

**You don’t have to use the instant Clear Jel, but it stabilizes the whipped cream so that you can make it ahead of time and not worry about it losing its body or getting runny.