I love Trifles. They are one of my favorite desserts to make because they are always delicious and they always make a beautiful presentation. The problem with trifles is that they are almost too pretty. When it comes time to serve them, the very thought of scooping into the big trifle bowl to tear apart the creation is enough to send shivers down my spine. Isn’t it good enough to just sit and look at the pretty dessert without destroying it? Apparently not…for some odd reason people actually want to eat the trifle. Admiring the beauty just will not do.
Last evening, my good friend Sara had my family and another friends family over for Easter dinner. My assignment….bread and dessert. We enjoyed a wonderful meal, with a Martha Stewart worthy table setting and friendly conversation. Once it came time for dessert, Sara pulled the trifle out of the fridge and handed it to me. “You serve it,” she said. “No…this is your house, you are the host… you serve it.” “I can’t bring myself to cut into it…it is just too pretty,” she said. Reluctantly, only because I knew the guys would not understand not getting dessert because it was too pretty to cut in to, I picked up the spoon and scooped out the first serving. Trifles are not nearly as beautiful plopped down on a plate, are they? At this point though, appearance doesn’t matter. One you have the first spoonful of this trifle in your mouth, you will not care at all what it looks like or the beauty you destroyed. Trust me when I say this…cutting in to any trifle is well worth mutilating it in the process. Very well worth it.
To create a trifle for your own mutilating pleasure, follow this recipe. Light versions of all of the ingredients can be used without sacrificing flavor.
Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle
Ingredients
- 16 oz packages cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 8 oz container sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup Cool Whip thawed
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 1 angel food cake torn into bite-size pieces
- 2 quarts fresh strawberries thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until fluffy; add sour cream, 1/2 tsp.
- vanilla and the almond extract; set aside.
- Fold the cool whip into the cream cheese mixture.
- Gently stir in cake pieces; set aside.
- Combine strawberries and sugar, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
- Layer in a large glass bowl, starting with 1/4 of the strawberries, then adding 1/3 of the cake mixture.
- Continue layering; finish with strawberries.
- Cover with plastic wrap; and chill several hours.
woah! that’s huge!
very different ingredients to the English trifles I grew up with.
Oh my goodness – this looks so good!!! I have actually really been craving trifle lately, and have been wanting to make this chocolate strawberry trifle recipe I have, but this looks so good, I might have to try this one instead!
It’s the same deal with tiramisu- it looks so pretty, but then you scoop into it and ruin it’s good looks.
Oh wow… that looks heavenly. Mmmmmm…
I so agree with you on this one Kristen. I hate digging in and then messing up the desert and me, it can get pretty messy. That’s why I make individual ones now. That way they’re pretty and ready to go. But, for a large party, that would be difficult.
this looks super yummy!
What a fabulous mutilation! That would be wonderful to dig into. And yes you are so right the boys just wouldn’t understand.
Looks good. Trifles are what I always have my clients make when they call in a panic that their cake didn’t turn out. I tell them to chop it up and make a trifle.Your is looking good.
Oh I am so making this for the Fourth of July!!! Or maybe sooner…those strawberries are calling me!
oooooooooomg, i love, love, love trifles too. this so creamy and fruity and delicious! mmmm
That looks amazing! I don’t know if i’d be able to share it though…yyuummmmoo!
It really looks wonderful, Kristen, and I’m sure no one felt bad after eating the whole thing! 🙂
I made a gorgeous trifle one year at Christmas, I layered kiwi and strawberries and other fruit painstakingly in the bowl with (pack on the) pound cake, drizzlings of liquers and syrups. God it was a thing to behold!
And then it was destroyed.
I wanted to cry. And honestly, I vowed to never do one again no matter how amazing it tasted and it was pretty dang good. I just couldn’t stand to see so much work and beauty get ripped apart.
But I ate two helpings!
That is so beautiful looking. I can understand your pain in having to destroy that piece of art by serving it. People are so evil wanting to eat our works of art. But darn aren’t they good when you do.
Looks far too good to eat. Yummy.
Yummy yummy yummy!!! That looks soooo good! 🙂
That is gorgeous!! I would have had a hard time plowing into that too 🙂
Thank-you for the inspiration!
You are tagged~
Sandi
I love this kind of dessert. It tastes goodbut is light enough you don’t get weighed down by eating it!
I make an Australian trifle, but I lurve trifles. Hmmmm my favourite. Yours looks devine, and the dish you serve it in is amazing.
Looks delicious!! And pretty. 🙂
Happy Easter!
you’re right, trifles are perfect… so beautiful, so easy, so tastey. mmm… reminds me of summer!
Every time I see a trifle dish at the store, I ache with yearning. Sigh. How I long too make a beautiful trifle. Yours is gorgeous! I bet it tasted gorgeous, too, so the destruction was completely worth it.
Just gorgeous, Kristen!! And it sounds so delicious too! Thanks for sharing the recipe, I haven’t broken in my trifle bowl yet, now I have no excuse. 😀
What a gorgeous presentation that made. YUM!!
For the Fourth of July could you add blueberries to it?
Oh, too gorgeous! I’ve already saved this recipe of yours for future devouration. You always take the most beautiful photos!
My mother-in-law always made trifles. My husband loathes them, but oh, this one looks sooo good.
For a second there, I thought that was <a href="http://sweetnicks.blogspot.com/2006/10/weekend-dog-blogging-57.html">Cherries in the Snow</a>. I think maybe YOU inspired ME this time!
That the kind my mother in law makes and that I devour! i love the colors of this trifle!
This was so devine!!!! I just wish I had a trifle bowl! Oh well, It turned out delicious anyway!!! I love your site. I love that you post both foods and desserts! You’re awesome Kristen!
okay that looks and sounds really good. i’m definitely saving that recipe to make at some point!