Fruit Trifle

Ingredients:

Fruit Sauce

• 1/2 pint (170 g) fresh blueberries
• 1/2 pint (170 g) fresh blackberries
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• 2 tablespoons water
• pinch of salt

Cake/Loaf

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• rind/zest of one large lemon
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice

Whipped Filling

• 3/4 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 Tablespoons icing sugar, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Topping

• 1/2 pint (170 g) fresh blueberries
• 1/2 pint (170 g) fresh blackberries
• 1 pomegranate, seeded
• fresh mint for garnishing

Directions:

Make your Fruit Sauce

1. In a medium saucepan on medium high heat add blueberries, blackberries, sugar, lemon juice, water and salt together. Mix to coat the berries. Bring to a boil.
2. Let boil for one minute. Stir and reduce heat to a simmer. Burst fruit with the back of a spoon.
3. Simmer for approx. 8-10 minutes until the liquid has slightly reduced. You want to keep the sauce on the thinner side; it will thicken slightly as it cools.
4. Pour the fruit sauce into a bowl to cool and set aside.

Make your Cake/Loaf

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl of a stand mixer, add sugar and lemon rind together and beat for 1-2 minutes. This is to release the lemon flavour into the sugar.
4. Add butter and shortening to the sugar mixture and beat together. Add eggs one at a time and slowly add the milk and lemon juice. Beat until smooth and pale in colour.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix just until combined. Pour into the prepared loaf pan.
6. Bake in the middle of the oven for approx. 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Be careful not to overbake the loaf.
7. Let the loaf cool on a wire rack.
8. Once cool, cut the loaf into 3/4-inch slices and trim the edges so you have clean slices. Then, cut the slices into even-sized squares (judge the size of squares by the size of cups you are using). Set aside. Note: You may only need half of the loaf, depending on the amount and size of your cups. I made eight servings with half a loaf. If you are making one large trifle, see the notes below.

Make your Whipped Filling

1. In a small bowl beat mascarpone cheese until light and fluffy. Set aside.
2. In a separate medium bowl, beat whipping cream, icing sugar and vanilla extract together until stiff peaks form.
3. Add 1/4 of the mascarpone cheese to the whipping cream mixture and fold in until smooth. Add the rest of the cheese and continue to fold until well incorporated. If the mixture gets too soft and doesn't hold its shape, you can rewhip it. It is best to use a hand whisk. Set aside.

Assemble

1. Place out your glass dishes. Add a layer of whipped topping to the base of each dish. Follow with a large dollop of fruit sauce.
2. Add squares of cake to cover and top with a few blackberries, blueberries, and pomegranate seeds.
3. Add one more layer of whipped topping, fruit sauce and fruit. Top with mint and serve.

NOTES

• You may only need half of the cake/loaf, depending on how big and how many servings you will be making. You can freeze the cake/loaf in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months, or enjoy it on its own.
• This dessert is best served immediately, the longer it sits, the softer the cake will become. You can prep all ingredients ahead, but assemble just before serving.
• To make one large trifle, use the entire loaf and double the fruit sauce and whipped topping recipe. You may need an extra pint of fruit too. Cut the cake slices into larger pieces, approx. 1×1-inch. The layers will go as follows - Layer one: whipped topping, fruit sauce, cake/loaf, berries. Layer two: whipped topping, fruit sauce, cake/loaf (lots of squares on this layer). Layer Three: whipped topping, fruit sauce, fresh berries and top with mint.

Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours
Yield: 8-10

Thank you Alie Romano for the recipe. Discover expert tips and techniques for Fruit Trifle at Baking For Friends.