Mini Trifles

These individual Mini Trifles with mascarpone and cherries are so delicious!

Using store-bought cake, pandoro, or brioche, these are filled with creamy mascarpone and cherry sauce. They’re perfect for that special dessert recipe you need!

A good dessert is the perfect ending to a delicious meal, and if it’s quick and easy, like these Mini Trifles then all the better for the cook! While I love cooking and baking, I’m usually exhausted after cooking a big feast, so easy desserts are all I want to do. As well as these Mini Trifles, some favorites are Easy Chocolate Puddings and Baked Peaches stuffed with Amaretti.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Flavor: The combination of Italian pandoro Christmas cake together with sweetened mascarpone cheese and sweet-tart cherry sauce is a match made in heaven! This one is a crowd-pleaser!
• Easy: Store-bought cake layered with mascarpone cream and cherry sauce is super simple and quick to make. Even easier still – use canned cherry pie filling!
• Versatile: Rather than a recipe, these mini trifle desserts are an invitation for you to create and make these your own. Don’t have pandoro? Purchase sponge cake at the store. Don’t like cherries? Use whatever fruit is in season. Add cream, chocolate, or nuts. It’s your choice.

What is a trifle?

A trifle is a layered dessert that usually consists of pieces of alcohol-soaked cake layered with fruit and pudding or cream. I adore it in all its forms but it’s most commonly prepared in a deep clear dish so that all the layers are visible. It’s an impressive and stunning dessert!

However, while the traditional trifle dessert is wonderful, it’s a bit messy to serve and rather complicated. Enter my Mini Trifles! Individual desserts that are elegant and delicious enough for a special occasion but easy enough for dinner with the family on Sunday.

For complete ingredient quantities and full instructions, please scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Ingredients

These mini desserts are quick and easy with only a few ingredients.

• Pandoro: This Italian Christmas cake is similar to brioche, golden and delicious. However, it’s only available around Christmas. Look at my suggestions below for substitutions and variations.
• Mascarpone Cheese: A creamy, rich Italian cheese that’s found in most grocery stores.
• Heavy Cream: Regular heavy cream from the grocery store is all you need here.
• Chocolate: Use a tasty chocolate that you enjoy eating.
• Sugar: Powdered sugar to sweeten the creamy mascarpone filling.
• Homemade Cherry sauce: Prepared with canned cherries, this sauce is easy to make year-round.
• Amaretto Liqueur: The amaretto flavor pairs very well with cherries. However, it can be substituted. Look below for substitutions and variations.

Instructions

Make the cherry sauce and cool. You can do this the day before.

Top the Mini Trifles with almonds and a cherry if desired. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve.

Substitutions and Variations

As I said earlier this recipe is a template to make your own version of this dessert with whatever flavor you enjoy.

• Pandoro: This is the cake layer so anything tasty and cake-like can be used. Substitute with store-bought or homemade sponge cake. This is the perfect recipe to use a cake that is stuck to the pan or broke. Break it up and make Mini Trifles! Or use any store-bought pound cake, panettone, or brioche that you like.
• Mascarpone: Any creamy filling is ideal for this layer. Think of fresh whipped cream, store-bought or homemade pudding (custard), or yogurt.
• Cherry Sauce: This is simply a fruit layer and it can be any fruit in season or canned fruit. Try apple compote or stewed pears. Use mixed berries for delicious mini berry trifles! If the fruit is naturally crisp, cook until softened.
• Alcohol: In a traditional English trifle, sherry is the alcohol of choice. However, that’s entirely your choice. Or make it alcohol-free by substituting fruit choice or non-alcoholic wine.
• Jelly: This is a traditional component of many trifles and can be included in this recipe. Remember to prepare it in advance so that it’s set properly before layering in the trifle. Jelly is also known as jello.

Tips for Success

• Choose glasses that are the appropriate size for this dessert. Clear glasses are nice because you can see the layers in all their glory!
• Prepare the components before assembling the mini trifles so they can be prepared quickly and the cream doesn’t melt.
• Start layering with a spoonful of cherry sauce followed by pandoro or a cake layer then mascarpone cream. Repeat the layers. Use a spoon to spread the sauce and cream.
• Keep the the trifles chilled until serving.

FAQ

Serving Suggestion

Mini Trifles don’t need anything more than a spoon. However, you may like to make these in smaller dessert cups as part of the dessert table.

These Mini Trifles with Mascarpone and Cherries look beautiful and taste delicious! When you want to impress but don’t need the stress, make these and enjoy your day!

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Cinnamon Pannacotta with Apple Crumble Topping

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