Boozy Berry Mascarpone Trifle
It’s time to pull out that trifle bowl! You know, that deep glass bowl with the pedestal hiding in a cabinet that hasn’t seen the light of day since…1990? Is that only me? I was thinking about the holidays and what I wanted to make and trifle popped into my head. The layers look so pretty and festive and I’m looking to make a special menu this year. This Berry Mascarpone Trifle is just special enough.
Back in the 90’s I made a white chocolate raspberry (going to work on that recipe) version that came with me to every dinner party I was invited to. Guess what? Retro recipes are making a comeback AND this layered dessert is really a showstopper.
Don’t have a traditional trifle bowl? The real appeal of this dessert is how gorgeous it looks so any glass bowl will work! If you are having a small gathering this year this recipe can easily be halved..or make the whole thing, it’s that good.
It’s literally the perfect dessert and this berry mascarpone trifle has got everything going for it. Cake, cream, super rich mascarpone, berries or in the case of this recipe…very boozy berries. WIN
Ingredients
The cake. I call for a store bought pound cake. You can use any cake you wish. If you’ve got a vanilla cake mix on hand, half (or one layer) will also work.
The berries. I used a combo of black berries and raspberries but strawberries would also be so good. Adjust to your preference.
The booze. I LOVE Chambord with is a black raspberry liqueur. It’s my go to for this recipe but it’s pricey. Great alternatives are Limoncello, Cointreau or any fruit/berry infused spirits. If you want to avoid alcohol sub it with juice like orange, cranberry or pomegranate.
The cream. In a real pinch you could sub the mascarpone for cream cheese. I prefer the texture and subtle flavour of the mascarpone for this recipe. For the whipped cream 35% Cream is the only way to go.
How to make Boozy Berry Mascarpone Trifle
Cut up the cake
Macerate the berries. Adding the alcohol, sugar and zest to the berries and letting them sit for a bit, releases some of the juices. This combination of the fruit juice and the other components soak into the cake. YUM
Whip up the cream and mascarpone mixture
LAYER it up.
Boozy Berry Mascarpone Trifle
Equipment
- 3-3.5 quart glass trifle bowl
- Stand mixer with paddle and whisk attachments
Ingredients
- 1 pound cake
Mascarpone Cream
- 1 475 gr or 16 oz mascarpone cheese
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tsp grated orange zest
- 2 tsp liqueur* or orange juice
- 1½ cups whipping cream (35%)
Maserated Berries
- 1 pint or 12 oz raspberries
- 1 pint or 12 oz blackberries
- 4 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 cup liqueur*
- 1 tsp grated orange zest
Instructions
- Cut the pound cake into cubes
For the Maserated Berries
- Combine berries, sugar, liqueur and zest. Let rest for 20-30 minutes
For the Mascarpone Cream
- In a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, beat whipping cream on medium high speed for about 2 minutes or until soft peaks form. Transfer to a separate bowl.
- Switch to the paddle attachment, beat mascarpone cheese with sugar for about 1 minute. Add in zest and liqueur and mix until just combined.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until just combined
Trifle Assembly
- Spread a thin layer of cream on the bottom of the trifle bowl. Add half of the cake cubes and place them against the outside of the bowl first then place any leftover cake into the middle.
- Gently add half of the macerated berries Including the juice, making sure that some are also pressed against the sides of the glass. Top evenly with half of the remainIng mascarpone cream and repeat ending with a layer of cream,
- Garnish with extra berries or sugared rosemary for a festive touch
- Refrigerate 12 hours or overnight
Notes
If you prefer not to use alcohol, substitute with orange, lemon, cranberry or pomegranate juice.
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