Start by making the berry sauce – this step can be done a day in advance. In a pot, combine all the berries and the granulated sugar. Let it come to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, stirring frequently – about 10 minutes. The fruit will cook down and soften till you’re left with a somewhat thin sauce. Add in the lemon zest and juice. Mix the corn starch and water together to form a slurry, add it in to the berry mixture and cook for an additional minute. Turn off the heat and let the berry mixture cool completely before moving to the next step – place in the fridge to speed up the process. If making this advance, store in the fridge.

In a large mixing bowl, add the room temperature cream cheese and whip using a whisk, hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth. Add in the cold heavy cream and begin whipping to form stiff peaks. Once halfway there, use a spatula to help combine the cream cheese to the whipped cream, then add in the powdered sugar and vanilla bean paste or extract. Continue whipping until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

In a 9x13 baking dish, place a thin layer of the whipped cream to cover the bottom of the dish and cover the entire base with a layer of graham crackers – cutting the crackers into smaller pieces to fit as needed. Add 1/3 of the whipped cream on top carefully to not disturb the graham crackers, then add a layer of the berry sauce followed by some of the fresh berries. Repeat again starting with the graham crackers until you reach the top of the dish, ending with the fresh berries on top – 3 layers. Cover and store in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. Cut into desired pieces and serve with some crush graham crackers on top (optional). Enjoy!