This Summer Berry Trifle is perfect for a July 4 picnic
The stars aligned when our forefathers signed the Declaration of Independence right in the middle of berry season. And while maybe that wasn’t part of Thomas Jefferson’s agenda, we really ought to take advantage of it.
This Summer Berry Trifle from The Culinary Institute of America is perfect for your Fourth of July barbecue. Showing off the summer’s fresh berries, layering strawberries and blueberries (or whatever you like best) with a sweet diplomat cream and tender yellow cake, it’s everything you could ever want in a summer dessert.
A trifle is a layered dessert made from cake or ladyfinger cookies, sweet custard, and some whipped cream to lighten things up. Trifles are basically the apple pie of England, where they often include sherry wine, brandy and jam, and, like many things we love today, they were created as a way to use up leftovers.
Diplomat cream combines two of
the best things in the world: pastry cream and freshly whipped cream. Pastry cream is basically just vanilla pudding, so imagine that plus whipped cream. Then imagine that layered with fruit and cake. It’s all too exciting!
Because it is part of so many classic recipes, like profiteroles, fruit tarts, and eclairs, pastry cream is one of the fundamentals every CIA baking and pastry student must master before moving on with their studies. Don’t let that intimidate you, though, because with some patience and a strong whisking arm, preparing pastry cream is a walk in the park.
The flavors in this trifle are simple and classic, but there are so many opportunities to experiment. You can flavor your pastry cream by steeping ingredients like coffee, cardamom, or cinnamon in the milk mixture. You can add layers of chocolate fudge, dulce de leche, or baked streusel, or brush flavored simple syrup or liqueur onto the cake layers. Take this recipe straight through farm stand season, experimenting with ripe fruits like plums, peaches, and eventually poached apples and pears.
When planning a party, makeahead items are key, and this dessert is one of them. All of the components for your trifle can be made a few days ahead (the cake can even be prepared weeks before and frozen), and then assembled the night before. It will only get better as the cake soaks in some of the cream and juice of the berries, so you can put it out of your mind until it’s time to serve dessert.
We’ve made the trifles in individual jars for serving, but you can use these ingredients to make one large trifle to serve familystyle. Any vessel will work, but a clear glass serving dish will show off the layers, and the vibrant colors of the berries are like a centerpiece all on their own.