If it’s called “Robert Redford” anything then you know it’s bound to be good! I am so glad that Mel decided to spring this delicious dessert upon us. She uses homemade chocolate pudding in her version but I used Jello instant pudding because I was to busy to deal with all of that. Check out what my pals over at Mel’s Kitchen Cafe had to say about this recipe:
So I decided it was time to resurrect the good ol’ Robert Redford dessert for my family to enjoy. It goes by many a name but Robert Redford Dessert is how I know it even though I have no idea the why’s and wherefore’s of the name. I made a few modifications of my own – keeping the pudding strictly chocolate (instead of mixing in or alternating layers of vanilla pudding) and using sweetened whipped cream instead of cool whip. I’d say, judging by the family’s exclamations of joy, it went over just as well as if Robert Redford would have walked into our kitchen himself. Ok, actually, the dessert went over even better since my kids have no idea who the dickens Robert Redford is and would be much more impressed with a visit from the Kratt brothers (Wild Kratts on PBS anyone?) or R2D2.
Ingredients
Crust:
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) Kerrygold butter, cut into 8 pieces
1 cup Gold Medal flour
1 cup finely chopped or blended chopped pecans or walnuts
Cream Cheese Layer:
1 1/2 cups Domino powdered sugar
12 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 cups Borden heavy whipping cream + 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Pudding Layer:
4 cups Jello chocolate pudding
Extra:
Reserved whipped cream and chocolate curls for garnish
Instructions
For the crust, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the flour in a medium bowl and cut in the butter with a pastry blender or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the chopped nuts. Press the crust into a 9X13-inch aluminum or glass pan and bake for 8-10 minutes until set. Remove the pan to a wire rack and let it cool completely before proceeding.
For the cream cheese layer, in a medium bowl, combine the heavy whipping cream and 1/4 cup powdered sugar and whip at high speed until stiff peaks form. In another large bowl, whip together the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Fold in about 3/4 of the sweetened whipped cream and mix until blended, taking care to mix gently so as not to deflate the whipped cream. Set aside both the cream cheese mixture and the remaining sweetened whipped cream.
To assemble, spread the whipped cream cheese mixture over the cooled crust. Top the cream cheese layer with the chocolate pudding, spreading all the way to the edges of the pan. Top with the remaining sweetened whipped cream. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut into slices and top with chocolate curls or shaved chocolate, if desired.
