Desserts don’t have to be complicated to be delicious. Treat your guests to these decadent yet easy sweets.

Tiramisu trifle with doughnuts

Serves 10

Preparation time 20 minutes Cooking time 20 minutes, plus time to cool down

Your family will be talking about this trifle for years to come. Use strong, good quality coffee (freshly made espresso is even better) to balance out the sweetness.

You need

• 500 g mascarpone

• ¾ cup castor sugar

• ¼ cup Kahlúa liqueur

• 2 tablespoons vanilla essence

• 1 cup cream

• 10 – 12 plain doughnuts

• 1½ cup strong filter coffee, cooled

For the coffee syrup

• ¼ cup filter coffee

• ¼ cup castor sugar

Here’s how

1 Beat the mascarpone, ½ cup castor sugar, liqueur and vanilla essence until thick and creamy with no lumps.

2 In a separate bowl, whip the cream until it forms soft peaks. Add the remaining ¼ cup castor sugar.

3 Cut the doughnuts in half horizontally. Dip each half into the coffee. Add a single layer of doughnut halves to a deep trifle bowl. Add a third of the mascarpone mixture. Repeat the layers of doughnuts and mascarpone until all the ingredients have been used. Spread the cream on top. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours, or even overnight.

4 Prepare the coffee syrup: Heat the filter coffee and sugar in a pot until the sugar has dissolved. Cook the mixture until thick and syrupy. Allow to cool down in the fridge.

5 Pour the cold coffee syrup over the trifle. Decorate with coffee beans and serve.