CREAMY OVERNIGHT FRUIT SALAD

Creamy Overnight Fruit Salad Recipe

Hands-On Time

30 Mins

Total Time

12 Hours 30 Mins

Yield

About 15

Fruit salad is a fresh addition to any Saturday brunch; there's something about a crystal bowl filled with bright, colorful fruit that perfectly complements any Southern cook's menu plans. One downfall to a fresh fruit salad, however, is that it's hard to keep your bananas, apples, or other cut fruit from turning brown without a hefty squeeze of sour lemon juice when you're prepping in advance. This creamy overnight fruit salad is a nostalgic recipe that solves all these issues, and tastes wonderful doing it. With a base of canned fruit for convenience and a creamy, whipped "dressing" reminiscent of the flavors of lemon curd, this recipe is a hidden weapon in any church hostess' arsenal. It only takes 30 minutes to prep your dressing and ingredients, and it's an easy make-ahead dish when you know you'll be pressed for time on the day of your event. The "overnight" part is key, as well – the flavors of the pineapple, grapes, bananas, cherries, and oranges start to blend with and sweeten the dressing once your salad has been in the fridge long enough. If you need any other reason to make this fluffy, sweet fruit salad – the recipe makes enough to serve a crowd and is easily modified based on your tastes. It's a must-try for any Easter brunch menu or ladies' luncheon; guests can't get enough!

Ingredients

3 eggs, beaten 

1/4 cup sugar 

1 lemon 

2 tablespoons butter 

1 cup green grapes, halved 

1 (20-oz.) can pineapple chunks, drained 

1 (11-oz.) can mandarin orange segments, drained 

1 (13.5-oz.) jar pitted dark cherries, drained 

2 firm bananas, sliced 

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

Step 1

In a small saucepan, combine beaten eggs, sugar, and juice of 1 lemon. Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat until boiling; adjust to medium-low heat and continue whisking until mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat, and stir in butter. Cool completely.

Step 2

In a chilled mixing bowl, beat whipped cream until stiff peaks form. Once your egg "curd" mixture has cooled, fold into whipped cream and set aside.

Step 3

In a large bowl, add chopped grapes, pineapple chunks, orange segments, bananas, and halved cherries (with stems removed). Stir fruit together until combined. Add mini marshmallows, and mix until incorporated. Toss fruit salad with cream-egg mixture, stirring to coat the fruit evenly and completely.

Step 4

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let sit overnight (10-12 hours) to let the flavors marry. Serve cold.