Trifle with Cookies and Berries Recipe

Expedite the classic British trifle, a lay­ered dessert composed of sponge cake, fresh fruit, custard, and jam, we started by ditching the homemade cake. A big timer saver is to use crumbled store-bought cookies as they are a great substitute and ready to use right out of the box. Experiment with different varieties and but the crisp texture and subtly spiced flavor of gingersnaps is a solid choice. For a simple, no-cook custard-like filling, whisk together mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, and a bit of sugar. Juicy fresh berries provided natural sweetness and that eliminates the need for any jam. This simple take on trifle delivers the rich, creamy filling and bright, fruity bites of the classic version-but with a lot less effort. You can substitute an equal amount of amaretti cookies or chocolate wafer cookies for the gingersnaps. Also, you can use any combination of berries here; just be sure to have 30 ounces of fruit total. But, do not use frozen berries.Using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip mascarpone, sugar, vanilla, and 1/g teaspoon salt on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 min­ute, scraping down bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low, gradually add cream, and mix until combined. Increase speed to medium-high and whip until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes.

Trifle with Cookies and Berries Recipe – Mascarpone

Set aside ½ cup mascarpone mixture. Gently toss berries together in large bowl. In separate bowl, crumble cookies.

Arrange 2 cups berries in bottom of 14- to 16-cup trifle dish. Spread half of remaining mascarpone mixture evenly over berries, then sprinkle half of crumbled cookies over mascarpone mixture. Repeat layering process with 2 cups berries, remaining mascarpone mixture, and remaining crumbled cookies. Spread remaining 2 cups berries over top. Dollop reserved mascarpone mixture on top and serve.

Mascarpone rich and velvety Italian cheese is made from fresh cream that has been thickened with an acid; it has a texture similar to that of clotted cream. Best known for its use in tiramisu, mascar­pone is also often simply served with cut fresh fruit. Though once a hard-to-find item, it’s now sold in just about every supermarket in a small, round tub near other cheeses.

Trifle with Cookies and Berries Recipe Serves 8

Trifle with Cookies and Berries Ingredients

1 cup (8 ounces)
mascarpone cheese
½ cup (3½ ounces) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream, chilled
30 ounces (6 cups) blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and/or hulled and quartered strawberries
12 ounces gingersnap cookies