Milk jelly cherry dessert

If you grew up with old-fashioned milk jelly desserts made by whisking evaporated milk with jelly, this recipe will bring back memories. This version combines that light, fluffy mousse with fresh seasonal cherries for a simple no-bake cherry dessert that's just as delicious today as it was years ago.

Do you remember the old-fashioned milk jelly desserts our mums and grandmothers used to make? By whisking evaporated milk with jelly, they transformed two simple ingredients into a light, airy mousse that seemed to treble in volume. It was one of those wonderfully economical puddings that appeared in recipe books and family kitchens for generations.

I grew up eating something similar in South Africa, where it was served with chopped fruit folded through the fluffy jelly mixture. It was wonderfully refreshing, served straight from the fridge on a hot summer's day, and always seemed to disappear remarkably quickly.

With the UK enjoying a spell of hot weather, I couldn't think of a better time to revive this nostalgic cherry milk jelly dessert. This version gives the classic recipe a fresh seasonal twist by folding juicy fresh cherries into the mousse, creating a light, refreshing no-bake dessert that's just perfect for summer.

Jump to:

• Milk jelly cherry dessert at a glance
• Why you'll love this summer cherry dessert recipe
• Ingredients for this fabulous cherry dessert
• How to make a cherry-flavoured milk jelly dessert
• Tips for a successful outcome
• Make it without biscuits
• Turn it into a black forest type dessert
• Storage and freezing
• FAQ
• Save for later
• Related recipes
• 📋The recipe

Why you'll love this summer cherry dessert recipe

• Economical: Made with just a handful of inexpensive ingredients, this cherry fridge tart comfortably serves 8 to 10 people. Better still, it stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, making it perfect for preparing in advance or enjoying over several days.
• Versatile: Layer the cherry mousse with biscuits for a nostalgic fridge tart, or simply fold the cherries into the fluffy milk jelly, add a splash of Kirsch or cherry brandy, and spoon it into individual glasses for an elegant dinner party dessert.
• Light and refreshing. Unlike rich cheesecakes or creamy mousses, this fresh cherry dessert is wonderfully light and airy. It's the perfect ending to a summer meal when you fancy something sweet without it being too heavy.
• No baking required. When the weather is hot, the last thing you want to do is switch on the oven. This simple cherry fridge tart comes together with very little effort, and you can leave it to chill in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve it.
• Perfect for seasonal fruits. Fresh cherries add bursts of juicy sweetness, but this recipe is just as delicious made with peaches, apricots, berries or other soft fruits when they're in season. Just swap the flavour of the jelly to suit the fruit you use.

Ingredients for this fabulous cherry dessert

**This is just an overview to explain why I used a particular ingredient. The exact ingredient measurements are on the printable recipe card at the end of this post.**

• Cherries. I made this with fresh cherries, but could also use frozen or canned cherries. If using fresh cherries, you should remove the pips; no one wants to break a tooth on a cherry stone! Frozen cherries should be defrosted. If using canned cherries, they should be drained. Try to find cherries canned in natural juice rather than syrup, as the ones canned in syrup may be too sweet.
• Sugar. This is just a small amount - and used for softening the fresh cherries. It's also optional, as the cherries may be sweet enough without it. You won't need sugar if you are using frozen or canned cherries.
• Jelly - I believe US readers call it jello. You can use either solid gelatine or jelly crystals. It should be dissolved in half a cup of boiling water and allowed to cool before being used. I used black cherry flavoured jelly, but if you can't get that, either raspberry or strawberry jelly makes an excellent substitute.
• Evaporated milk. Chill the evaporated milk in the fridge overnight (or at least for a few hours) before beating. Chilled milk will increase in volume and whip up more easily than milk at room temperature. Evaporated milk is simply milk that has had half of the water content removed.
• Biscuits. I wanted a plain-flavoured biscuit, so I opted for Malted Milk. You could use Tennis, Nice, Marie (or Maria), or Rich Tea biscuits. If you're in the US, you'll probably want to use Graham crackers.
• Dark chocolate (not pictured and optional). I like to sprinkle a layer of grated dark chocolate on top of the dessert and decorate with a few extra cherries.

How to make a cherry-flavoured milk jelly dessert

Tips for a successful outcome

Here are my top tips to ensure your summer cherry dessert turns out perfectly every time:

• Chill the evaporated milk before starting to whip it - you'll get a much better volume from chilled milk.
• Don't allow the jelly to set - as soon as the jelly is lukewarm, add it to the cold evaporated milk. If you leave the jelly for too long, it will set, and you won't be able to whip it with the milk.
• Use a large mixing bowl. The evaporated milk more than triples in volume need a large enough bowl to hold it.
• Use an electric mixer if possible. An electric hand mixer or a stand mixer is best for whipping the evaporated milk. I remember standing for hours back in the day with one of those old-fashioned rotary beaters that you had to turn by hand - they certainly gave your arm muscles a good workout. I honestly don't know whether a balloon whisk would do the job, and I'm not prepared to try. It probably would work, but it would take a long time. and a lot of effort.
• When spooning the cherry mousse over the biscuits, try to keep the cherries more or less evenly spaced in the layers.

Make it without biscuits

You don't have to use biscuits for this cherry mousse dessert if you don't want to. Simply transfer the mixture into a serving dish, decorate with chocolate shavings and cherries if you want to and let it chill in the refrigerator. It will set to a firm light consistency that holds its shape - a bit like a really thick custard or a chocolate mousse.

Turn it into a black forest type dessert

Made without biscuits, you can easily turn this into a sumptuous black forest-type cherry dessert for a dinner party.

• Add a splash of Kirsch or cherry brandy to the cherry mousse, then spoon the mixture into martini glasses.
• Decorate with chocolate shavings and add a cherry on top, with a few more on the plate next to the glass.
• If you want to make it richer, add a scoop of whipped cream before sprinkling with chocolate and adding the fresh cherry.

I have to admit I only thought of this option after I'd scoffed the entire dish, so I had to get AI to generate an image for me. In the interests of keeping my waistline (sort of) under control, I didn't feel that I should make another batch just to get another photo!

Storage and freezing

• Refrigerator. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The biscuits will soften over time, making the dessert even more cake-like.
• Freezer. I don't recommend freezing this dessert. The light, airy texture is created by whisking air into the evaporated milk before the jelly sets. Freezing and thawing can cause the jelly to release moisture, leaving the mousse grainy and watery. For best results, keep it in the refrigerator and serve chilled.

FAQ

Save for later

If you would like to try this milk jelly cherry dessert, why not save the recipe to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily? Just click the image below.

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Related recipes

Visit my cake, biscuit and dessert recipes page for other tasty treats. Here are a few you might enjoy:

📋The recipe

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