She Strengthens

Summer Fruit Trifle: A Symphony of Flavors and Textures

The Perfect Combination

Imagine a dessert that’s both creamy and crunchy, nutty and fruity. This summer fruit trifle is a masterpiece of flavor and texture, featuring layers of vanilla custard, amaretti cookies, pluots, and whipped cream.

Key Ingredients

To create this show-stopping dessert, you’ll need a few specialty ingredients. Pluots, a hybrid of apricots and plums, provide a sweet and tangy flavor. If you can’t find pluots, a mixture of apricots and plums will do the trick. Amaretti cookies, flavored with almond, add a delightful crunch. You can substitute vanilla-flavored cookies like Nilla wafers if needed.

Getting Started

To ensure your trifle sets properly, begin preparing it a few hours before serving. Don’t worry if it doesn’t look perfect – it’ll still taste amazing!

Yield and Difficulty

This recipe yields 10-12 servings and is classified as easy. The total preparation time is 30 minutes, plus chilling time, with 20 minutes of active cooking.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur (such as Cointreau)
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 pounds pluots, pitted and thinly sliced (about 5 cups)
• 4 cups Vanilla Bean Custard
• 2 (7-ounce) packages amaretti or other crisp almond cookies, broken into large pieces
• 1 cup chilled heavy cream
• 1 cup sliced, toasted almonds

Layering the Trifle

Whisk together the liqueur and sugar, then add the pluots and let them macerate for 10 minutes. Drain the pluots and reserve the juices. In a separate bowl, whip the chilled cream to medium peaks.

Assembling the Trifle

Use a 3-quart glass dish or trifle dish to assemble the dessert. Start with a layer of custard, followed by a third of the broken cookies and half of the reserved fruit juices. Repeat the layering process, finishing with a layer of whipped cream and toasted almonds.

Chilling and Serving

Refrigerate the trifle for at least 3 hours or overnight. Just before serving, sprinkle with toasted almonds.

Beverage Pairing

For a perfect pairing, try the Chambers Rosewood Vineyards Rutherglen Muscat from Australia. This sweet wine features almond notes that complement the amaretti, along with rich, sweet, and honeyed notes of dried fruit. Serve chilled in small glasses – a little goes a long way!