Berry Trifle

Need a quick and easy dessert?  The berries at my local Costco were begging to be shown off in this dish.  You can substitute raspberries and blackberries too.  Be sure to invite lots of friends as 2-day old trifle isn’t nearly as glamorous.

Ingredients:
¼  cup plus 2/3 cup sugar
¼  cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup water
¼ teaspoon almond extract
1 pre-made angel food cake
1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups heavy cream, at room temperature
2 pints blueberries
2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced

Directions:
Make a simple syrup by heating 1/4 cup sugar, the lemon juice and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Stir until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and stir in the almond extract.

Cut the angel food cake into 1-inch slices and spread out on a cookie sheet.  Brush both sides of each slice of cake with the syrup. Cut the slices into 1-inch cubes.

Beat the remaining 2/3 cup sugar and the cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and light. Add the cream and beat on medium-high speed until smooth and the consistency of whipped cream.

Arrange half of the cake cubes in the bottom of a 13-cup trifle dish. Sprinkle evenly with a layer of blueberries. Dollop half of the cream mixture over the blueberries and gently spread. Top with a layer of strawberries.

Save a handful of fruit for garnish and then repeat the three layers (cake, blueberries, cream).  Arrange the remaining strawberries and blueberries in a decorative pattern to garnish.

Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

Thanks to Amy K. for sharing your secrets on this dish.

Tags: berries, blueberries, Featured, party, raspberries, recipes