Summer Berry Trifle
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This berry trifle is perfect for a summer party — it’s refreshing, gorgeous, and make-ahead.
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.
“Oh my! This is so easy, beautiful and absolutely delicious!! Made for a party and everyone raved.”
What You’ll Need For Summer Berry Trifle
Step-By-Step Instructions
To begin, warm the raspberry jam in the microwave.
Toss it with the berries and let it sit while you prepare the rest of the trifle.
Beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form, then set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and Confectioners’ sugar.
Beat until smooth and creamy, then beat in the vanilla.
Add a third of the whipped cream.
Beat until smooth and then add the remaining cream.
Fold with a rubber spatula until evenly combined.
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.
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.
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
Summer Berry Trifle
This berry trifle is perfect for a summer party — it’s refreshing, gorgeous, and make-ahead.
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
- Set aside a few berries for topping the trifle.
- 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.
- In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- 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.
- 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
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Calories: 554
- Fat: 31g
- Saturated fat: 18g
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Sugar: 41g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 7g
- Sodium: 197mg
- Cholesterol: 143mg
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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I made this for a fourth of July party at my godmother’s and it was a huge hit! The only thing i did different was add black berries for a touch more of acidity, plus i really like black berries.
I have to substitute pound cake for the lady fingers. Will the trifle be too soggy if I make it 24 hours before serving?
Hi Laura, I think it will be fine. Enjoy!
It was perfect and everyone loved it! Thank you for the great recipe.
Hi Jenn. I’m making a fruit triffle for the 1st time for a party so have some general questions as a rookie! What does cream cheese do? Is it to bond the cream together or does it give a slightly sour taste? Is there another substitute to give it the same effect but not the cream cheese taste? Also does the raspberry jam make the berry mix sweet? I want to keep the berry taste tart so wanted to know if jam is to bond together or sweeten. Thanks.
Hi Leila, The cream cheese both thickens the cream mixture and adds a very subtle tang to balance the sweetness. I recommend using it but you could substitute mascarpone for a slightly less tangy result, if you like. The jam does add a little sweetness but more importantly it adds juiciness, which helps soften the cookies — if you leave it out, the trifle will be dry. Hope that helps!
Thanks Jenn. One other q: do you know how the lady fingers would turn out soaked in espresso? or is that too much with all the other ingredients? I read in one review that the whip cream and philly may be too sweet. Want to balance the tangy and sweet (but not too sweet) so wonder if the espresso would give it a tad bitter kick. Plan to make this today but still need to find the lady fingers.
I don’t think espresso would work here, Leila – sorry! If you wanted to add another flavor with a little bitterness, a little sherry or fortified wine would be a good choice.
I’m making this with gf homemade lemon cake instead of lady fingers, because of gluten intolerance. How long before serving do I assemble so that the cake isn’t mushy? Any idea??
Hi Shannon, It really depends on the cake and how dense it is, but with a typical cake I think you could assemble the trifle up to 6 hours in advance w/o it getting mushy.
This was so great. It was awesome to make with my girls and they loved it.,once again thanks for the hot recipes
Savoiardi biscuits are sold at Cornucopia Gourmet Food, 8102 Norfolk Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814, for those who live in the Maryland/DC area. I purchased two packages there this morning (Jul 2, 2017). Each package is 7 oz, as per recipe. The owner keeps plenty in stock, as they are also an ingredient for making tiramisu.
Trifle bowls can be found at Sur La Table ($30, I also purchased one from there is a.m., to make this recipe), Williams-Sonoma, Target, etc.
Hope that helps for those hunting!
Hi I just got some dried lavender and would love to use it in this recipe. What would you think of either adding it to the berries or the cream. If you like the idea how much thanks.
Hi Lynn, You could try adding a little to the berries. But I’d start with just a pinch and taste — you have to be really careful adding lavender to sweets b/c too much can make them taste soapy.
I am looking forward to making this over the July 4th holiday. Do you recall where you purchased that glass trifle bowl (we do not own one)? It makes for a nice display. Thanks!
Hi Pete, I believe I got it at Target :).
Please tell me if you whip the whipping cream before folding it into the whipped cream cheese. It seams as if you would?
Yes, Marina, you do! (Take a peek at the 3rd paragraph of the instructions.) Hope you enjoy!
Jenn, went to Whole Foods… no savoiardi biscuits. They did have a Whole Foods brand organic lady finger which looked very hard. Will look further for the biscuits, but if I cannot find them, should I go with pound cake or the organic biscuits? If pound cake, chunks or slices> Thanks, Carol
Hi Carol, the Whole Foods brand will work well. Enjoy!