Strawberries and blueberries make an appearance in pretty much every 4th of July dessert and this one will be no different. I love to make a trifle that features the red and blue fruits because it is an easy-to-assemble dessert. My mom claims that trifle is a winter dessert because her family used to eat it on Christmas, but I pretty much only make it during the summer months when fresh fruit is in season.
Trifle is a layered dessert, so for the biggest visual impact, serve it in a clear dish. For parties, I like to make individual servings in cocktail glasses, but if your event is outside, you might prefer to use clear plastic disposable cups or mason jars. To serve the dessert family style, make the trifle in a glass serving bowl with tall sides.
Ingredients
1 pound cake
strawberry jam (optional)
1 lb. blueberries
1 lb. strawberries, hulled and quartered
vanilla pudding (recipe below)
1 can whipped cream
chocolate shavings (optional, for garnish)
Thinly slice the pound cake. An optional step is to spread strawberry jam on half the slices and then assemble jam and pound cake "sandwiches." Layer the ingredients, with pudding in between each as shown in the diagram below:
Trifle is a layered dessert, so for the biggest visual impact, serve it in a clear dish. For parties, I like to make individual servings in cocktail glasses, but if your event is outside, you might prefer to use clear plastic disposable cups or mason jars. To serve the dessert family style, make the trifle in a glass serving bowl with tall sides.
Ingredients
1 pound cake
strawberry jam (optional)
1 lb. blueberries
1 lb. strawberries, hulled and quartered
vanilla pudding (recipe below)
1 can whipped cream
chocolate shavings (optional, for garnish)
Thinly slice the pound cake. An optional step is to spread strawberry jam on half the slices and then assemble jam and pound cake "sandwiches." Layer the ingredients, with pudding in between each as shown in the diagram below:
Use a piece of baking chocolate and a cheese grater to garnish the trifle with chocolate shavings.
Ingredients for Vanilla Pudding
1/3 cup flour
2/3 cup sugar
<1/2 tsp. salt
2 egg yolks
2 cups milk
1 tsp. vanilla
Combine the dry ingredients in a saucepan. Add the milk slowly while whisking over low heat. After the milk is added, cook over medium heat, stirring until the mixture has thickened. Take off the fire and add a spoonful of the mixture to the eggs to temper the eggs. This brings the temperature of the eggs up slowly so that you don't end up with scrambled eggs in your pudding! Add the eggs to the mixture in the saucepan and stir until combined. Finally, add the vanilla and mix until it is evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
Ingredients for Vanilla Pudding
1/3 cup flour
2/3 cup sugar
<1/2 tsp. salt
2 egg yolks
2 cups milk
1 tsp. vanilla
Combine the dry ingredients in a saucepan. Add the milk slowly while whisking over low heat. After the milk is added, cook over medium heat, stirring until the mixture has thickened. Take off the fire and add a spoonful of the mixture to the eggs to temper the eggs. This brings the temperature of the eggs up slowly so that you don't end up with scrambled eggs in your pudding! Add the eggs to the mixture in the saucepan and stir until combined. Finally, add the vanilla and mix until it is evenly distributed throughout the mixture.