Holiday Fruit Salad (My favorite thing in the world to eat!!)
Alright, I know I always tell you how much I love everything I post here. Well, I decided when I started Southern Plate that if I didn’t love a recipe, I just wouldn’t post it. So I am always telling the truth when I go on and on about how good something is. This is different though. This fruit salad is my absolute favorite thing in the entire world to eat. I adore it. I love it. As my son said once “This is so good, if it were a girl, I’d marry it!”. This fruit salad is soooooooo incredibly good. I LIVE for this fruit salad!
My grandmother makes it at Thanksgiving and Christmas. No other desserts exist for me when this fruit salad is present. You can tempt me with creme brulee, tiramisu, carrot cake, even Grandmama’s chocolate pie, but this fruit salad is the beginning and end as far as I am concerned.
In case you haven’t caught on yet, I REALLY REALLY love THIS fruit salad!
LETS MAKE SOME!!!!
~eyes widen and mouth begins to water~
You will need: Apples, Oranges, Grapes, 3-4 cans fruit cocktail (with juice), 1 Cup sugar, and 6 egg yolks (the yellow part).
Peel and chop apples. Place in bowl.
Peel and cut up oranges. Cut oranges up over apples and stir so that the orange juice prevents them from browning.
Cut grapes into halves. Place in bowl.
Pour all of the fruit cocktail into bowl, juice and all.
stir well.
Drain juice from bowl of fruit into a sauce pot.
Add sugar
(you CAN use Splenda in place of sugar here!)
Separate eggs. You can discard the whites or find another use for them
(I will be showing you how to make a meringue soon!)
Beat egg yolks well.
Add to sauce pot. Stir well.
Cook approximately 15 minutes over medium heat stirring occasionally until slightly thickened.
Cool.
Pour over fruit. Cover and refrigerate.
Will keep in frig for a week. Make at least 24 hours ahead so that flavors can marry.
(or they can just date for a bit, they”ll likely get along better if they haven’t signed on for a commitment after such a short time anyway)
Serve cold.
OMG….if you had any idea how wonderful this tastes you’d be dying right now!
Grandmama and Mama always store theirs in glass jars in the fridge, kind of like this one.
Ingredients
- 6-8 Apples
- 6 Oranges
- 1 lb Grapes
- 3-4 Cans Fruit Cocktail (You can use generic, it is every bit as good!)
- 1 Cup sugar
- 6 egg yolks
Instructions
- Peel fruit and chop into small pieces. Cut oranges over apples so that the juice from the oranges will stop the apples from turning dark. Pour fruit cocktail over fruit. Drain juice from fruit into saucepan.
- Add 1 cup sugar and 6 egg yolks. Blend well.
- Cook approximately 15 minutes over medium heat stirring occasionally until slightly thickened. Cool. Pour over fruit.
- Cover and refrigerate. Will keep in frig for a week. Make at least 24 hours ahead so that flavors can marry. Optional: Coconut and pecans. Bananas can be added but they turn dark quick and the fruit salad will not last as long in refrigerator.
Posted by Christy Jordan
on Nov 24 2008. Filed under Breakfast, Dessert, Holiday Favorites!.
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Have you ever put bananas in this fruit salad? I was wondering how bananas would hold up. I like bananas in fruit salad but I also don’t want to ruin the left overs with black, slimy things either.
I recently found your blog and love it. Now I can’t stay away from it. I think you were raised with the same food as I was…and it’s all good.
Thanks for being so excited about the food and the way of life we southerners live.
My mom always put bananas in her fruit salad, too so I can’t imagine a fruit salad without them. Guess we can make up the salad ahead and add sliced bananas just before serving.
Another great one! My hubby just loves fruit salad- I can’t wait to try this one out on him and see if he notices the difference! This recipe reminds me of a punch my grandma used to make when we had big parties back in the day- Christy- maybe that’s what we need next! You know people are having Christmas parties left and right soon- I think we could all use a good southern punch recipe!
This looks absolutly beautiful Christy all the colors of the fruit. That sauce is so different that i gotta try it. your pictures are beautiul especially with the sunlight coming through. Happy Thanksgiving.
Hey Tammy! Yes, I have put bananas in it and so has Grandmama. One of the neat things about it, though, is how long it keeps and stays nice and fresh in the fridge and like you said, the bananas kind of kill that effect. What I do when I want bananas is just slice them into my bowl of fruit salad rather than adding to the whole thing. You can, though, absolutely you can! It just won’t keep as long.
I am so glad you’re here!!! Thank you for reading!
Caitlin What a great idea on the punch!!! I’m right on it!!! I hope you enjoy this, I can honestly eat my weight in this fruit salad!
Tina! Hey girlfriend!!! It is pretty, isn’t it? I hope you have a great one, too!! I have your email all queued up to answer now!!!
Thank you all for reading!!!
Christy
Ok Christy I came back to post and let you know that I am so making this for Thanksgiving. I have a jar exactly like that with a snow man on it. I will make it wed night and carry it up to my mother in laws house in a cooler LOL. I gotta make this salad dh looked at it and said ummmm now that looks good. Ok Christy its going on the road with us.
Wow! This looks fan-freakin-tabulous and I can’t wait to try it!
Oh my… I JUST got back from the store a little while ago…. This looks YUMMY!! Now hubby needs to go to the store….
hey all! i thought about the bananas, too, but i see the best way to add those, great idea. i guess my questions are:
1) what purpose do the eggs serve? as a binder? flavor enhancer? for richness?
2) do you think citrus fruit would affect this mix in any way? (kumquats, grapefruit, etc…)
i have low blood sugar and love fruit but i can’t eat so much of it. however, protein and fat work wonders, so i am going to pretend the egg yolks will mitigate that! maybe i would even make myself add some greek yogurt for health to justify it, hee, hee!
great recipe, thanks, c!
So it’s kind of like a really rich pudding custard sauce? It looks delicious!
Hey Y’all!!! I am so glad you are as jazzed about the fruit salad as I am! I hope you get to try it and be sure and tell me if you do!!!
Sweepea:
1)The egg yolks are cooked with the juice and sugar and make a thin custard like sauce which coats the fruit and gives it the most delicious flavor…oh my it is just wonderful.
2)It already has citrus in it (oranges) so go ahead and add more if you like!
I have problems with my blood sugar as well and so I substitute splenda for the sugar in this and there is no problem in doing that, still comes out beautifully.
Like you, I can’t eat a lot of fruit. I mainly have issues with really sweet fruit such as oranges. The apples in this don’t really bother me. I LOVE oranges but just don’t eat that many of them. This fruit salad doesn’t bother me, but if i were to eat an entire orange by itself i would have serious blood sugar issues.
Thank y’all so much!!!
Christy
Thanks! I just read the entire recipe and realized you’d already addressed the bananas. Bet that’s irritating–so I apologize. Guess I am already in a tizzy over the holidays. A reminder to slow down.
I could swim in a vat of that with my mouth open…
Hey Tammy!
Oh posh, I am not the least bit annoyed! You’re talking to the person who reads the last chapter of a book BEFORE I buy it, then I read the first chapter and scan for good parts and I’m done! LOL You couldn’t annoy me if you tried! Thats what my kids are for! ~grins~
Average Betty: Still laughing….I love it when you have one of those laughs that just catches you by surprise and you have to toss your head back and let ‘er rip! My daughter came in here to check on me, I was so loud! Its funny because we had our family thanksgiving on Sunday and I have some of this in the fridge and I’ve pretty much been living off of it for two days now and am still loving every single bite! lol
Still laughing….
Splenda here I come! Everyone in the family is on a special diet of some kind. This should be good for Thanksgiving so I don’t have to listen to them gripe about calories lol.
Hey Stephanie! Its not really that rich of a sauce, its kind of like a thinned out pudding I guess. Its hard to explain. OH well, y’all are just going to have to come eat now! Git on over here!
~rings the bell~
Hey Bill! I LOVE having a low sugar dessert at Thanksgiving, you are definitely THE MAN!
Gratefully,
Christy
Hi Christy: Just wondering if you have tried this with Not peeling the apples. I would think it would be good. Also did you cook the dressing with the sugar substitute and it turned out sweet?
I am truly enjoying your book and your personality.
My first time by here! Found you over at Divine Caroline & since you’re Southern, I had to drop by. This sounds wonderful, even though I’ve never heard of putting eggs in your fruit salad. I can imagine that it must taste really good. Yum! I’ll have to stop by here again.
I made this for Thanksgiving Day and it was a smash!!! Was lucky that out of that huge batch I got a little bit of leftovers to bring home.
I used the fruit cocktail made with splenda and regular splenda in the juice mix and there was not one complaint from anyone…even from my one son who dislikes things with artificial sweetners!!! He never knew! Everyone from age 6 through 64 enjoyed it…very light and refreshing. We started eating it when we were nibbling on appetizers and then some had through dinner and then again after dinner time! Cleansed the palate nicely.
A couple of tips/suggestions: I used my Vidalia food chopper to chop the apples and oranges with the larger square blade. I alternated the apple pieces with the orange pieces which served two situations…one it immediately added the orange juices to keep from browning and secondly, since the orange sections had a tendancy to go through it a bit harder, the apple sections following the orange cleaned out and plugged areas!
Also, I think next time I will drain and save the fruit cocktail juices as the bowl was so large it was impossible with my arthritic thumbs to hold and drain. I used a slotted spoon this time and just spooned the fruit into a colander over a pop and then into another large bowl until I got to just the remaining juices. With draining the fruit cocktails first, just using a slotted spoon and moving from the one bowl to another should be enough without having to use the colander at all as there will be a lot less juice in the bottom of the bowl to add to the fruit cocktail juices in the pot.
Thanks for a great recipe Christy!!! Gerry
Christy I made the fruit salad and toted it down to my husbands familys. It was a big hit and everyone loved it. Wow it made a lot. I put it in a jar exactly as you did. The longer it sat the better it was. Thanks for a great recipe.
Howdy and Happy Turkey Day!!
I was just thinking today what I was gonna make to take to the family eatins and I think this may be it. My Maw Maw makes a variation of this but I’m gonna tell her about the egg yolk/custard part. I think I just may take peanut butter cake too.
Keep it up girlie!! I’m addicted(especially now that I’ve moved and actually have a kitchen I can do stuff in, I just need the stuff to do it with).
I think I will make this for Christmas! It’s the one dessert I know my SILs won’t duplicate at my in-laws gathering! And a lemon meringue pie for my hubby with the egg whites!
This is in my refrigerator right now getting ready for tomorrows dinner. I am going to have to try it out though in a little while because it just looks so delicious that I can’t wait until tomorrow! Have a wonderful New Year and thank you for all of your wonderful recipes!
I LOVE THE IDEA OF GIVING THIS FRUIT SALAD TO CHURCH MEMBERS FOR CHRISTMAS PRESENTS. I’LL HAVE TO FIND A JAR LIKE THE ONE YOU USED. MY MOTHER KEPT CANTALOUPE CHILLED IN THE REFRIGERATOR IN THE SUMMERTIME. NOTHING LIKE IT!! THANKS FOR HELPING US ALL MAKE MEMORIES FOR OUR FAMILIES.
This recipe looks ABSOLIUTELY DIVINE
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I think that I will try adding some mini marshmallows.
I just discovered your blog. I’ve subscribed to your newsletter.
I love, love, love all your recipes. I just wish that I wasn’t on a diet, because I want to try everything!!!!!
Ughh, Christy you will not BELIEVE what I just did! I made your awesome fruit salad to give to someone, and for some reason I didn’t read the recipe thoroughly enough (and I was in a huge hurry so I was rushing!) and I ended up poaching the egg yolks and serving fruit salad with tiny pieces of egg in the sauce! Once I realized it, I was so embarrassed! I will be trying again soon and hope to get it right next time! I added pineapple chunks- and used mandarin oranges instead of cutting up oranges. Even with egg pieces it was still tasty! : )
Christy, I made this on a whim to get my kids to eat fruit salad. They tried it but they said that they were “too full to even eat it” (I think they were just full of “something” other than food that night). But, I ate some and it was sooo good! I put it in a bowl and kept it in the fridge over night. Now, there is some still in there and it’s telling me, “Now, you know you want to eat me…be a good girl and do as your told like your Mamaw taught you!”
Now I know I have to sign up for your newsletters! This has been my favorite Holiday dish since I was a little girl…….we won’t go in to how long ago that was….we’ll just say a long time. I love your eggyolk “savce” & can’t wait to add it to my salad at Thanksgiving. I do add bananas at the last minute before serving & take out any that may be left before storing. Don’t the apples make it just perfect? I love the added crunch.I’ve even added berries, if they’re in season when I’m making it. OK, I’m off to sign up……I’ll be talking with you soon…..
Now I know I have to sign up for your newsletters! This has been my favorite Holiday dish since I was a little girl…….we won’t go in to how long ago that was….we’ll just say a long time. I love your eggyolk “sauce” & can’t wait to add it to my salad at Thanksgiving. I do add bananas at the last minute before serving & take out any that may be left before storing. Don’t the apples make it just perfect? I love the added crunch.I’ve even added berries, if they’re in season when I’m making it. OK, I’m off to sign up……I’ll be talking with you soon…..
[...] the day you make this pie is the perfect day to make another one of my very favorite things to eat: Grandmama’s Fruit Salad. You see, the sawdust pie calls for seven egg whites whereas Grandmama’s Fruit Salad calls for [...]
Hi,
I tried this recipe to the letter and something doesn’t seem right.. it tastes too much like egg yolk. What did I do wrong? I prepared everything and cooked the sause according to directions..
[...] Fruit Salad [...]
[...] Holiday Fruit Salad (My favorite thing in the world to eat!) [...]
My daughter does something like this but instead of the egg yolks and sugar she puts a package of instant vanilla pudding. It is good.
Hi, Christy – just found your website today and love it. My family has been making fruit salad like this at the holidays for as long as I can remember only without any dressing or sauce. This is the very first time I’ve ever seen anything close to it in an actual recipe! My mom used canned peaches and used the juice from that can to keep the apples from turning brown. She added pecans. We also put bananas and didn’t care if they turned brown – it made the dish sweeter. Now that I make it I don’t use fruit cocktail because it’s sometimes a little too crunchy (unripe) for me, and use as much fresh fruit as I can get.
What kind of fruit cocktail do you buy, Jo Anna? I’ve always found it to be too soft.
Hay…did you ever find a good punch recipe?
I’m probably like light years behind, but for my daughter’s wedding me made a banana punch that everyone begged for the recipe. I found it in a church cookbook thats probably 20 plus years old and would be glad to share it with you.
Phyllis…Phyl to my friends
Hi,
Since bananas are one of my most favorite things in the world, I’d love to have your banana punch recipe.
Vickie
Wondering how long this will keep in the fridge? TIA Rosemary
I swear things in our life are so similar is plum freaky. My mom made a fruit salad sooooo close to this one it’s not funny. EVERY relative begged her to bring it for every get-together.
Instead of grape halves she used a can of pineapple chunks. But she never used eggs or cooked to “sauce” . She would do the apples and oranges ahead of time and sprinkle with sugar and then let them “juice” a bit before adding the rest. She also added sliced bananas, coconut and chopped pecans just before serving. I personally don’t care for the coconut or bananas so she’d always take me out a bowlful before finishing it off.
Gosh I’m gonna miss her making it this year. I know how to make it myself, but it won’t be the same. I miss her in soo many little ways. The big stuff too like her up coming birthday, Thanksgiving and Christmas of course. See her crooked smile, hearing her laugh, just seeing her everyday. But it’s the little stuff that sneaks up on you. Like someone posting a fruit salad so close to hers…giggle thanks for the memories. BTW loving your cookbook.
Oh Vikki, I know just what you mean. I know your mamas sweet spirit will be wrapped around you during these holidays. Sending my love,
Christy
Our fruit salad is similar except that we add sweetened real whipped cream instead of the custard, but the custard sounds delicious, too.
I could happily eat my weight in either one!! Lol
Hi Christy!
This brought back such wonderful memories of my Mama! She ALWAYS made this during the holiday. And yes, we did add bananas, but only just before we sreved it, ’cause they turn brown so quickly. I could eat this for breakfast, lunch , dinner, and any other time. Just LOVE this stuff.
Thanks so much for the memories, Christy!
YUM! I have had a shortcut version using instant pudding but it doesn’t keep well at all. I look forward to trying this one!
You lost me as soon as you put in the egg yolk.
Whatever cranks your tractor!:)
I can’t wait to try this recipe for Thanksgiving. Thank you!!! You are helping me make great food memories for my new and growing family!
I always make a special breakfast on Christmas morning. Usually a breakfast casserole of some kind and either some kind of fruit salad or special juice drink. My daughter has requested this salad from the cookbook this year. I like that you can make it the day or a few days before. She also asked if you had a breakfast casserole in the book since I’ve been cooking so much from it lately. My 10 year old great niece spent the night last night and I made the banana pecan french toast for breakfast. We both liked it.
Few questions about this recipe? Which apples are best for this recipe? Do you peel them or leave the peeling on? I have a little concern about the egg yolks sitting in it in the frig. Is there any worry about it going bad and anyone getting sick from the eggs? The scare is going on again about the eggs. ;-(
Thanks, JoAnn Atkinson in TEXAS
Hey Joann! Hope you’re having a great day!
The concern about eggs is usually about raw eggs. You are cooking these for 15 minutes, basically making a custard sauce with them as an ingredient. Just think of it as a pudding in the fridge. It’s delicious!
Hope thus helps!
Hi JoAnn. I’m sure Christy will respond, but since she is on her book tour, it may be a while. In the meantime, I can answer some of your questions.
First, the apples in the picture of the ingrediants are very red, so I’m guessing they are Delicious apples. Christy would probaby say use that you like. =-)
Second, they are peeled and chopped.
And third, the eggs are cooked thoroughly in the sauce (pudding) to thicken it.
Finally, your grocery will know if their eggs are on an alert list. Just ask.
You are awesome Mary! And said just what I would have but better! Thanjavur you!!
Umm. I meant thank you. Lol. I’m not suddenly speaking Viking or anything, just typing on my phone
HUH, I’ve NEVER seen a fruit salad like this, I was a little worried about putting egg in there, SO happy it ended up being cooked. Being from PA this just seems really weird. I guess I won’t knock it til I try it.
My daughter makes this fer both holidays, she put nannas in it, with all of the family here, they arent any leftovers.
Johnny
How much does this make and how big is that glass jar! I love it!
I was thinking the same question, Anne! I need that jar!! LOL
On my way to the store!
That sounds heavenly, and I will be trying this recipe for sure! I just started my blog, at the request of my dear daughter, and I enjoy reading yours so much. You speak from the heart . . . thank you for that.
Our family has one of these types of fruit salad…pineapple, royal anne cherries, mandarin oranges, marshmallows….oh my….my mouth is watering already. I can’t imagine Thanksgiving or Christmas without it. Thank you for sharing all your wonderful recipes! It feels like my sister is right next door!