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Summer Berry Trifle

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By Jenn Segal
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Summer Berry Trifle

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This berry trifle is perfect for a summer party — it’s refreshing, gorgeous, and make-ahead.

Berry Trifle in a large glass dish.

Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)

Berry trifles make wonderful (and patriotic) summer party desserts. Not only are they gorgeous, they feed a crowd and are made in advance. The only drawback is that, with all their layers, they can be time-consuming to make from scratch. I save time by using store-bought Savoiardi biscuits (a.k.a. crisp ladyfingers), cream cheese, and raspberry jam. The result is a dazzling, delicious berry trifle that can be made in 30 minutes. Use a deep, clear glass bowl or a footed glass trifle dish so the pretty layers can be seen. And don’t worry if the layers look slightly uneven or if the layers mix a bit — that’s the beauty of a trifle. You can also make the trifle in small glasses as individual parfaits.

Table of Contents

“Oh my! This is so easy, beautiful and absolutely delicious!! Made for a party and everyone raved.”

Charlene

What You’ll Need For Summer Berry Trifle

berry trifle ingredients

Step-By-Step Instructions

To begin, warm the raspberry jam in the microwave.

Warm Raspberry JamToss it with the berries and let it sit while you prepare the rest of the trifle.

Berries tossed with Jam

Beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form, then set aside.

beating heavy cream

In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and Confectioners’ sugar.

cream cheese and sugar

Beat until smooth and creamy, then beat in the vanilla.

Bowl with cream cheese, Confectioner\'s sugar, and vanilla.

Add a third of the whipped cream.

adding some of the whipped cream

Beat until smooth and then add the remaining cream.

adding the remaining cream

Fold with a rubber spatula until evenly combined.

combined cream mixture

To assemble, begin by layering the lady fingers in the bottom of the dish. Top with a third of the berry mixture, followed by a third of the cream. Continue alternating the lady fingers, berries, and cream.

assembling the trifle 2

End with the cream cheese mixture on top; for the last layer of cream, leave a 1-inch border around the edge showing the fruit beneath. Sprinkle some berries and a fresh mint on top.

finished berry trifle ready to chill

Let the trifle chill for at least 8 hours, then top with some fresh berries and a spring of fresh mint, if desired.

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Video Tutorial

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Summer Berry Trifle

Metric Cup Measures
By Jenn Segal

This berry trifle is perfect for a summer party — it’s refreshing, gorgeous, and make-ahead.

Servings: 8-10
Prep Time: 25 Minutes
Total Time: 25 Minutes, plus at least 8 hours to chill

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup (8 oz) seedless raspberry jam
  • 1 quart (1½ pounds) strawberries, hulled and cut into ¼-inch slices
  • 1 pint (12 oz) raspberries
  • 1 pint (12 oz) blueberries
  • 1½ cups heavy whipping cream, cold
  • 16 ounces cream cheese (preferably Philadelphia brand), at room temperature
  • 1¾ cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 (7 oz) package crisp lady fingers (also called savoiardi biscuits)
  • Fresh mint spring, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Set aside a few berries for topping the trifle.
  2. Heat the raspberry jam in a large bowl in the microwave for about 1 minute, or until hot and liquidy. Add the fresh berries and toss to coat. Let sit while you prepare the rest of the recipe, stirring occasionally.
  3. In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
  4. In another large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla, then beat in a third of the whipped cream. Using a large rubber spatula, fold in the rest of the whipped cream until well combined.
  5. Cover the bottom of a 9-inch (14-cup capacity) trifle dish or glass bowl with a layer of lady fingers (break into pieces as necessary). Follow with ⅓ of the berry-jam mixture (including ⅓ of the juices), then ⅓ of the cream. Alternate, ending with the cream cheese mixture on top; for the last layer of cream, leave a 1-inch border around the edge showing the fruit beneath. Garnish with the reserved whole berries and a fresh mint spring if using. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight, before serving.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (10 servings)
  • Calories: 554
  • Fat: 31g
  • Saturated fat: 18g
  • Carbohydrates: 65g
  • Sugar: 41g
  • Fiber: 5g
  • Protein: 7g
  • Sodium: 197mg
  • Cholesterol: 143mg
Nutritional Data Disclaimer

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Comments

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  • Hi Jenn! I served your trifle dessert to my family on July 4th. We all enjoyed it. Delicious! Also, I liked seeing you make this on TV. You are so tiny and beautiful! Not sure how you stay so slender with all the yummy food you make. Thanks for all of your great recipes! I appreciate them and all of your efforts!

    • Thank you, Val! So glad you enjoyed it!

  • Could not locate lady fingers, what’s a good substitute?

    Thanks

  • This was a huge hit at my Fourth of July BBQ!!!

  • Hi Jenn,

    Are the lady fingers are supposed to be crunchy in the final product, or would they have softened (from.. I dunno, being soaked with the cream or something?)

    I haven’t tried making it yet but just wanted to understand what the final product’s supposed to be like

    Thanks for the fantastic recipes!

    • Hi Ivan, They soften and meld into the trifle. Good luck — please let me know how it turns out!

      • Jenn, I made this over the weekend and it was FANTASTIC. Thank you!

        • So happy you enjoyed it, Ivan. Thanks for letting me know 🙂

  • Thank you, Jen! I asked for and have received a Summer berry dessert! You’re the best…and much appreciated!

  • Do you recommend doubling the lady fingers for each layer, as they come that way, or single

    • Hi Kiiri, They should go in a single layer. Be sure you buy the crisp lady fingers that come in a box or package, not the soft spongecake ladyfingers sold in the bakery. Enjoy 🙂

  • Jen- can I use marscapone instead of cream cheese and add creme Anglaise as another layer for the pudding portion?

    Thanks,
    S.

    • Mascarpone cheese should work but I’d probably leave out the creme anglaise — it might make the trifle too wet.

  • Jenn – I just watched your TV clip with the berry trifle and sangria. First of all, you looked completely AWESOME. Secondly, both items look simple and delicious, perfect for this holiday weekend. Thanks for inspiring me yet again to take my meals and entertainment to the next level!

    • Thank you so much, Sandy! I hope you enjoy the recipes — they really are easy and delish 🙂

      • Hi, how could I adjust this recipe to just use blueberries without the other fruit? Or wouldn’t you recommend it? (I have someone who doesn’t like strawberries), and also making the dish for Easter, so using just the raspberries & blueberries might look too “4th of July?
        Thanks!

        • Hi Connie, It’s fine to use only blueberries; no adjustments necessary. Happy Easter!

  • Do you think this would be equally good with blackberries and use blackberry jam rather than the raspberries?

    • Absolutely!

  • Jenn,
    do you know the capacity of the trifle dish?
    I want to substitute a glass bowl but wasn’t sure how large it should be.
    p.s. I love your website. Every single recipe I’ve made has been delicious. Thank you!

    • Hi Mary, So glad you’re enjoying the recipes! The bowl of the trifle dish is 9-inches around and 9-inches deep — the capacity is about 14 cups. I will add that to the recipe for others as well — thank you 🙂

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