Prepare the custard a couple of days ahead, then assemble and chill the dessert before serving. Using store-bought meringue cookies saves you the step of baking them.
Cooking Light JUNE 2006
To prepare custard, place milk in a medium saucepan. Scrape seeds from bean; add seeds and bean to milk. Heat milk mixture over medium heat to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around the edge (do not boil); discard bean.
Combine sugar and next 3 ingredients (through egg yolks) in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Gradually add hot milk mixture to sugar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan; cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 5 minutes), stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add butter, stirring until melted. Pour into a bowl; cool completely. Cover and chill at least 4 hours.
Combine preserves and framboise in large bowl. Reserve 6 blackberries, 6 raspberries, and 6 blueberries. Fold remaining berries into preserves mixture.
Reserve 6 cookies. Place remaining cookies in a large zip-top plastic bag. Crush cookies using a rolling pin.
Spoon 1/4 cup custard into each of 6 tall glasses; spoon 1/3 cup berry mixture over each serving; top each serving with 1/3 cup crushed meringues, 1/4 cup custard, and 1/3 cup berry mixture. Top each serving with 1 blackberry, 1 raspberry, 1 blueberry, and 1 cookie.
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Vanilla Berry Parfaits with Meringue Cookies recipe