cook like james

July Fourth Berry Trifle

Trifles are such an easy dessert to throw together and great to serve during the summer when berries are at their peak. This version has a few extra steps, but makes a festive presentation for the 4^th of July.

Makes enough for a 3-quart trifle dish 

Click here to  Download July Fourth Berry Trifle

1 Homemade Pound Cake or 2 Sara Lee frozen pound cakes (16 ounces each), thawed and edges trimmed

3 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam

6 cups fresh blueberries or blackberries (or mixture)

4 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons orange juice  

4 tablespoons Grand Marnier

3 cups fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries (or mixture)

4 cups vanilla pudding, refrigerated until firm (homemade or Jell-O)

1 cup heavy cream

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

 For Homemade Vanilla Pudding:

(For a smooth pudding, it is important to pass the pudding through a fine-mesh strainer in order to remove any bits of cooked egg. )

¾ cup sugar

3 ½ tablespoons cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon table salt

3 ½ cups half-and-half

3 large egg yolks

1tablespoon unsalted butter

1tablespoon vanilla extract  

1.    Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in the half-and-half and then the yolks.

 2.    Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, whisking gently but constantly and scraping the bottom and sides of the pot. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until the pudding is thick and coats the back of a spoon, 1 to 2 minutes.

 3.    Strain the pudding through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, scraping the inside of the strainer with a rubber spatula to pass the pudding through. Stir the butter and vanilla into the pudding until the butter is melted. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until set, about 3 hours.

 For the stars:

 1.    Slice each cake lengthwise into 6 equal pieces. Spread 2 teaspoons jam each on 6 cake slices and top with remaining slices to create jam sandwiches. Using 2-inch star cookie cutter, cut out 3 stars from each sandwich. Chop remaining sandwich scraps into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.

 For the berries:

 1.    Toss blueberries (or blackberries) with 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons orange juice and 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier in bowl. Set aside to macerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours. In separate bowl, toss raspberries (or strawberries) with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons orange juice and 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier and let macerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours.

For the Whipped Cream:

 1.    Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl with a wooden spoon until smooth.

 2.    In the bowl of a stand mixer, add cream and vanilla to chilled bowl. Beat on low speed until small bubbles form, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and continue beating until beaters leave a trail, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and continue beating until cream is smooth, thick, and nearly doubled in volume, about 20 seconds. Mix in cream cheese mixture and beat for another 15 seconds to for sorm stiff peaks.

 To assemble:

 1.    Arrange 7 star sandwiches upright around bottom of 3-quart trifle dish. Place 2 cups sandwich scraps in center of dish. Arrange 3 cups blueberries around stars, piling up blueberries so that they surround all edges of stars. Spread 2 cups custard in even layer on top of blueberry and cake layer.

 2.    Place 1 cup sandwich scraps on center of custard layer. Arrange 3 cups raspberries around perimeter of dish. Spread remaining custard in even layer on top of raspberries. Arrange 9 star sandwiches upright around perimeter of dish. Arrange remaining blueberries around stars and pile remaining raspberries in center of dish. Spoon whipped cream on top of raspberries and top with remaining stars and a few berries for garnish.