Summer Berries & Cream Trifle

Seasonal fruit that is fresh and sweet is the perfect accompaniment to the liqueur-soaked cake and rich cream. This summer berry trifle uses peak of the season berries, like strawberries and blueberries, but there are oh so many other combinations you can choose. 

HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR MAKING A BERRY TRIFLE: 

• Marscapone 
• Cream Cheese 
• Sugar 
• Flavored Liqueur – see choices below 
• Cool Whip or Whipped Cream 
• Cake – see choices below 
• Fresh Berries or Other Fruit 

MASCARPONE CREAM FILLING 

• In a large mixing bowl, combine mascarpone and cream cheese and beat until smooth. Add thawed Cool whip. 
• Add granulated sugar. 
• Pour in liqueur. 
• Beat again until smooth. 

DIRECTIONS: 

• Cut up leftover cupcakes, pound cake, or angel food cake into small pieces. 
• In a tall trifle dish, place ⅓ of the cut-up cake on the bottom. 
• Drizzle with 1 tablespoon liqueur. 
• Spoon ⅓ of the cream mixture over cake cubes and smooth out evenly. 
• Place ½ of the blueberries on top of the cream layer. 
• Add ⅓ of the cake cubes sprinkled with liqueur over berries. 
• Spoon ⅓ of the cream mixture on top of blueberries. 
• Smooth to cover all the way to edges. 
• Repeat with the remaining cake with a drizzle of liqueur and ½ of the strawberries. 
• Spoon all the remaining cream mixture on top. Top with a layer of cake and the remaining half of both the strawberries and blueberries.
• Just prior to serving, finish with a layer of whipped cream or Cool Whip and decorate with sliced strawberries. 

BEST FRUIT FOR TRIFLES

• Triple Berry Trifles can contain a combination of your favorite berries such as blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries 
• Try stone fruits such as peaches and nectarines 
• Make a banana pie trifle with ripe bananas, banana pudding, and vanilla wafers 
• Stick with just one fruit and make a blackberry trifle or a blueberry trifle 

BEST CAKE FOR DESSERT TRIFLES 

• Angel Food Cake tops the list and, if you don’t feel like baking or have any leftovers, it is easy to find from your local bakery. 
• Pound Cake is another favorite that soaks up the liqueur flavor very well. 
• Chocolate Cake, Vanilla Cake, and Lemon Cake are used as well. 
• Carrot Cake, Spice Cake, and even Coconut Cake can have their place in a trifle. 

BEST LIQUOR FOR TRIFLES 

• Amaretto – gives a nutty toasted almond flavor to the cake 
• Frangelica – offers a hint of hazelnut 
• Grand Marnier or Cointreau – provides an accent of orange flavor 
• Kahlua – for all those coffee lovers out there 
• Limoncello – lovely lemon flavor when paired with cheesecake filling 
• Peach Liqueur – is the perfect flavoring when paired with peaches and bananas for an Easter trifle 
• Peppermint Schnapps – is a standout for a Christmas trifle 
• Brandy or sherry can be used but they are a bit more alcoholic than the liqueurs above 

Don’t want to use any alcohol? Try subbing in ¾-1 teaspoon hazelnut or almond extract plus the amount of cream equal to the amount needed in the recipe. This will give you a caramel-cinnamon-nutty flavor similar to Stroopwafel.

You can also try a combination of vanilla extract with a little cinnamon extract or, for an orange flavor, try 5 Tablespoons of orange juice with 1-¼ teaspoons of orange extract. 

FILLING OPTIONS 

• Any creamy filling would taste great with fresh berries and cake but this rich mascarpone cream cheese mixture, similar to a cheesecake, is my all-time favorite. However, if you want something a little easier, check out some options below. 
• Sub in Cool Whip for a lighter summer berry trifle 
• Whipped cream will make a rich addition 
• Love cheesecake? Opt for a no-bake cheesecake filling like my mocha cheesecake filling from my cookie cups. 
• Packaged vanilla or lemon pudding is a really easy option. You can even mix it with Cool Whip for a lighter texture.

THIN MINT AVOCADO BROWNIE BITES

 Here’s a healthy way to get your thin mint cookie fix. These Avocado Brownie Bites are packed with healthy oils and super food greens for a treat that is good for you! 

INGREDIENTS 

• Brownie Batter 
• ¾ cup flour 
• ¼ cup Barlean’s Chocolate Silk Greens Powder 
• ½ teaspoon baking powder 
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt 
• 2 ripe avocados 
• 2 eggs 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• ¼ cup vegetable or safflower oil 
• ¾ cup Imperial sugar 
• 8 oz dark chocolate melted 

Mint Cheesecake Filling 

• 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature 
• 3 Tablespoons Imperial sugar 
• 1 egg 
• 1 tsp Barlean’s Omega Swirl Chocolate Mint Oil 
• ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract 
• 2 Tablespoon flour, as needed to thick 

TO ASSEMBLE: 

• Using a small cookie scoop, drop about 1 tablespoon of brownie batter into the bottom of each mini-muffin cup. 
• Drop another tablespoon of cheesecake batter on top of brownie batter then follow that with another scoop of brownie batter. 
• They will fill the little mini-muffin cups to the top. 
• Bake for 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of one comes out clean. 
• Let cool in muffin pans on wire rack for 10 minutes then dump onto wire rack, turn upright, and let cool the rest of the way. 

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 24-cup mini muffin pan with a non-stick spray. 
• Brownie Batter 
• In a small bowl, combine flour, Barlean’s Greens powder, baking powder and salt. 
• In an electric mixer, cream avocado until smooth. 
• Slowly add in the eggs and vanilla until well mixed. 
• Add oil and sugar and mix thoroughly. 
• Stir in chocolate then all dry ingredients until just mixed. 
• Set aside. 

Mint Cheesecake Filling

• In your KitchenAid electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. 
• Add egg, oil and peppermint extract. If batter looks too thin add up to 2 tablespoons of flour. (I did add it to mine)

REALLY EASY LEMON BROWNIES WITH LEMON GLAZE 

These lemon brownies are everything a brownie should be, moist, fudgy, rich, and delicious! Perfect for spring, summer, and a bright addition to Christmas cookie tins. Enjoy! 

INGREDIENTS 

• Flour 
• Sugar 
• Lemons 
• Eggs 
• Vanilla Extract 
• Baking Powder 

Keep in mind that fresh lemons will make a big difference in the flavor of the finished blondies. 

Tip: When purchasing lemons, look for bright lemons with unblemished peel and a firm, heavy feel to them. When juicing, cut into quarters and place in microwave for 30 seconds as it will help to release more juice. 

DIRECTIONS 

• Place soft Minerva Dairy unsalted butter with sugar in a large mixing bowl. 
• Cream until light and creamy. You will notice the color become a plate yellow with a slight increase in volume. It usually takes about 2 minutes. 
• While continuing to mix, add eggs one at a time. 
• Beat in lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla extract. 
• Mix baking powder with flour and stir into wet ingredients until just combined. 
• If you prefer a brownie that is more cakey, add ¾ teaspoon baking powder. 
• Pour into 8×8-inch baking pan that has been lined with parchment paper and sprayed with a nonstick spray. 
• While brownies are baking, gather ingredients for lemon glaze – powdered sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest. 
• Add zest and lemon juice to powdered sugar. 
• Whisk until well combined. 
• Once lemon brownies have cooled, lift out of baking pan and place on wire rack. You may want to place a cookie sheet underneath to catch any overflow of glaze for easier cleanup. 
• Pour glaze over brownies and smooth to the edges. 
• Sprinkle additional zest on top and let cool completely