Treasured Traditions: I Found a Purple Durple Pan!

One of my childhood favorite family Christmas traditions involves the making and consumption of a wonderful dessert that we call Purple Durple.  Here is an edited repost from my Family Blog written nearly three years ago.

I Found a Purple Durple Pan!

You're probably thinking, "WHAT in the world is a Purple Durple pan?" Quite simply, it is a special copper bundt pan that is used to hold Purple Durple (aka Blueberry Congealed Salad), a family favorite, especially around Christmastime. I was around five or so when my mom first made it, and I made up the name Purple Durple to describe it.

My mom has had a pan just like this since I was very small. I always wanted one for myself, but could not ever find one. . . . until I went into a new-to-me store called The Antique Gallery in Bartlett, TN. I had been meaning to look around in that store for over a year, but never took the time until last Friday [sic]. It is a wonderful, HUGE, place filled with beautiful treasures!  I remember giving myself a time limit of about 15-30 minutes of looking around; otherwise, I would be in there for a couple of hours!  You cannot imagine my excitement when I saw not just one, but several different purple durple pans hanging on the walls of one of the booths.  I honestly think I would've paid $40 for one, but my husband is thankful that it only cost about $8!  It now hangs on the wall in my kitchen as a decoration when not in use.  It's a wonderful reminder of good times in my childhood and a favorite Christmas treat!

Here is the recipe for Purple Durple:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 16 oz. can blueberries
• 1 can crushed pineapple
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 6-oz. package black cherry jello
• 1 large package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup sugar

1. Open blueberries and pineapple. Drain well, and save the juice.
2. Dissolve jello in boiling water. Measure juice that you saved in step 1 and enough cold water to make 2 cups. Pour into jello and boiling water.
3. Mix sour cream, cream cheese, and sugar. Mix well into jello mixture. Add blueberries, pineapple, and nuts. Let jell.

Make sure the cream cheese is softened because it is really hard to mix in if it's not.  It results in clumps of cream cheese throughout the congealed salad which is really not very appetizing.